Making Memories Of Us
by Wildfires Within
Summary: inertia, tension, gravity, remember, lost, friend, travel, trapped, persevere, stumble, fragile, small, ordinary, magic, hope, unsure, distance, contemplate, question, doubt, release, impending, chaos, naïve, baggage, reflection. To making memories.
1. Unsure

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter One: Unsure**

Annie Walker always seemed so sure, so confident in her decisions. In fact, this was what made her the ideal agent – if something went wrong, she was a professional at figuring out what to do, how to solve the problems, and in the agency, this was a particular skill sought often.

And even though she was always prepared for anything that might come up, she was actually quite unsure of herself. It wasn't something that most people saw – more often than not, she kept people far away enough so that they wouldn't know.

Yes, on the surface, Annie was strong, sure, secure. But on the inside, she was unsure. She experienced insecurities. But no insecurities compared to the apprehensiveness experienced after Sri Lanka.

Maybe it was seeing Ben again – she thought she was over him with the riddance of the cryptic note and a puka shell bracelet. But seeing him…just knowing the memories shared, and the memories that were made…it was enough to pull her under again. She wanted to get over him, completely, to be free, so much.

But as long as Ben owned that small piece of her heart dedicated to him, she wouldn't be able to love anyone else as much as she loved Ben. It was almost as if by controlling that piece of her, he controlled her entire life. She wasn't sure if she could ever forgive him for that, but deep down, Annie knew that she would.

She wanted to let him go, she did. Annie had tried – a few dates here and there, but they always ended disastrously. Like the date with Conrad that ended with him trying to kiss her…she had pulled back, feeling that it wasn't right. He was moving too fast, and it had left her with an impending fear of her own insecurities.

What if she never got over Ben? What would she do then? She knew that a life with him was impossible – it was only destined to end in her heart breaking even more. And after living with so much pain, she wasn't sure she could handle it for an even longer period of time.

Her fears were natural, and it made working for the CIA much easier. They preferred less risk people – instead of having to worry about covering things up more for family members, or spouses. She was starting to miss home, miss the paradoxical normalcy of her life, actually going out on missions.

But for now, she was chained to her desk. Joan's orders from higher-ups had been to keep Agent Walker on the quiet side until she was cleared once more, psychologically, physically, and emotionally. Physically, she was fine, except for a few minor scrapes and bruises – nothing unusual.

Psychologically, she had been cleared after a couple sessions with a therapist – it was just mostly debriefing, but more on the end of her own state, not necessarily how the missions had turned out.

Emotionally, though, she still was acting socially inept. It was as if something inside her had been broken while re-meeting Ben, knowing him once more, just like those two weeks spent lounging on the beach. Anytime anybody came into close contact, she would naturally retreat, wanting to hide from people.

This was the only reason she was still doing desk work. She needed to find her trust in someone again. Auggie was there for her every single step of the way, but nevertheless, it seemed like she was never going to get better. She was literally stuck.

A rut. What Annie needed was a change, and quickly – the longer she was between two haystacks, the more likely she would end up shriveling away into simple paperwork. She could not – _would_ not – have that happen to her.

However, that was Annie's problem in the first place – she couldn't cause change within herself. Try as she may, it wasn't happening. Someone needed to be her catalyst, and that was something that frustrated Annie so much – too much. How was it that she, CIA-agent extraordinaire, solver of problems, couldn't push herself to cause change?

It was all a giant routine. Go to work, meet Auggie inside, walk together, go to their respective desks, fill out paperwork until a hand cramp occurs, go to lunch with Auggie, get back, fill out _more_ paperwork, have Auggie ask if she wants to go to the tavern, and finally, head to the tavern, a few drinks, and home awaits.

Speaking of Auggie and the tavern, it was almost 4pm. Which meant….

"Hey, Annie, drinks at the tavern tonight?" Auggie asked, standing at her desk, looking dapper as usual. It was moments like these that Annie would remember that Auggie had once been an agent too – he had been imperceptible to her own skills, but now that she knew the usual schedule, there was nothing to be said about his unpredictability.

"Sure. Meet you at your desk after I'm done with all of this….paperwork?" Annie asked. She hated admitting that for now, she was just a part of the paperwork filling out personnel, instead of the agent she was meant to be.

"…sounds great," Auggie hesitated, and Annie picked up on it, but she didn't worry about it. With a smile, Auggie was off, back to work. Annie sighed – it was looking like another usual day today.

As five o'clock rolled around, Annie got up and stretched, fixed her skirt, and made sure everything was in place. Not like it truly mattered – Auggie wouldn't notice if anything slight was unusual with her, or at least, her outfit.

Suddenly, Annie realized what she was doing. She was making herself look pretty for Auggie – her best friend, her confidante, and someone who wouldn't be able to see her outfit. She felt foolish. Shame seemed to rise from her heart and up to her cheeks, as a blush fell onto them. However, she let her confidence drive herself – calm down, she told herself, and as always, her body listened and the creeping disgrace was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

A quick walk to Auggie's desk further pushed the thought of primping for Auggie out of her mind and into the boroughs of her subconscious. She wasn't going to worry about it now, and if she had her way, she wouldn't ever have to worry about it again.

A quick tap on Auggie's shoulder, he sprung up, surprised.

"Annie! Didn't….hear you there," he said with a shrug.

"Sorry – I didn't mean to surprise you. Ready to get going?" Annie asked, smiling at Auggie.

"It's already five? Well, okay then. This encryption will have to wait – it's not urgent anyway," Auggie explained as he pressed a couple keys, and he stood up, placing his coat on his shoulders. It would more than likely be chilly now, and he had always been susceptible to the flu – he didn't want to risk getting sick.

It was only November, but then again, there was also the distinct possibility of a sudden burst of winter taking everyone by surprise. The walk to the tavern was a quick one, yet sure enough, Annie had been chilled down to her bone. By the time they arrived, she was practically snuggling into Auggie's natural warmth.

Stepping inside, both were greeted with sweet and much needed warmth. It was a welcome greeting to the rest of the night – and something inside Annie seemed to say that tonight, maybe something could finally change.

* * *

><p>"Annie, are you sure that a second shot is a good idea?" Auggie asked as Annie had called for the bartender to bring her second shot of the night. Was she trying to get drunk?<p>

"Of course I'm sure – it's been a tough week for me, Aug, and I really need this. I don't think you understand," Annie said with a slight shrug as she grabbed her shot glass and downed the liquid inside.

Looking at Auggie after her statement, she realized he had tensed visibly, and his eyes had darkened considerably. "Come on, let's go before you decided to get hammered." He said as he pulled her with him outside. Annie didn't want to go, but she didn't want to cause a scene, so she complied with Auggie's well-wishing and went with him.

Once outside, Auggie seemed to let go of his façade of careful control. "Listen, Annie, you don't think I know how you feel? I'm blind. I used to be just like you, excited for every single mission every single day being so unpredictable. Then Tikrit happened, and surprise, surprise, I got stuck being the paperwork boy until Joan found a suitable place for me. So don't you dare say I don't understand because I do." He ranted until every single emotion kept inside about Annie's situation had been released.

"I'm sorry Aug….I didn't know…I didn't know that I was being so stupid," Annie looked down and felt everything coming forward, everything stored inside, until, sure enough, tears began emerging from her eyes. She didn't know she was holding this all inside, until this conversation had pushed her to see the reality of the situation.

"Hey, hey, listen, I'm sorry for making you cry." Auggie apologized as Annie began crying, letting go, finally – he crushed her into a hug, and tried to comfort her.

_Finally_, Annie's mind seemed to say. It was relief. Like she was finally ready – ready to let go, to move on, to let her lost love go.

And maybe it was the drunkenness, the slight buzz coursing through his veins, or maybe it was acceptance – but he leaned down to kiss her.

It was as if something inside Annie blossomed – the idea of Ben, loving him, seemed to disappear into depths unknown. And in its place was the finality of pure honesty.

_Finally. Finally. Finally._

There was nothing wrong about kissing her best friend – it was relieving her instead of causing damage. Finally – no guilt, nothing. Nothing was wrong about this – or if there was something wrong, it didn't register right now, Auggie's lips soft, hesitant, yet urging against hers. It was almost like a promise of things to come if given the chance.

Disconnecting their lips, Auggie cleared his throat. "I'm not taking advantage of you, I'm sorry," he said quickly, putting distance between them.

Disappointment filled Annie – in fact, it was probably visible on her face. Her mind had been reeling in the feelings, celebrating, but now, it had ceased to be filled with contentment.

"No, no, no…." Annie drifted off, and tried to pull Auggie closer to her, but he refuted.

"Sorry Annie – but if we're going to even do this, I want to be sober. And I want to take you on an actual date – not this usual tavern routine." Auggie admitted to her as he let her invade his space, but only a little bit – he wasn't going to take advantage of her once more, kissing her senseless.

"Aug?" Annie asked softly, pressing into him, wanting to garner more of his scent, his pureness and warmth.

"Hmmm?" He responded, trying not to be pulled in by her.

"Thank you," Annie said. "Thank you for everything. This might've been exactly what I needed. Thank you for the finality."

Finally, this was practically the start of a new chapter. Annie vowed not to forget Ben – not to forget the fervor with which she had loved him, but now, she didn't feel the same.

Finally, something had changed.

And finally, maybe, Auggie and she could be something else, something better – something worthwhile, magical, and memorable.

Annie was going to take a chance and take a shot at love once more.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello fellow Covert Affairs fans! So...as much as I love Rememberance, it might still be a while to update - I just don't feel quite right updating yet. It's a strange feeling, I admit, one that I am not sure from which it came. Sigh. But in other news, welcome to my newest project, Making Memories Of Us! ****Yay! :D**

**Hmmm...what else? Well, methinks you should read and possibly review. Helps the muse, you know? And encouragment would be awesome! And by the way, this story is meant to be all snippets - literally, memories of "us". This was the first one because I basically closed my eyes and jabbed a finger at my laptop screen and it landed on the word "unsure" - from there, it was cake. Haha. And I make no promises that this will be in order. Knowing how sporadic I am, they more than likely won't be in any particular order. You guys are just gonna have to deal with it. **

**So, show me some love, please, and stick around for the ride. **

**-Audrey**


	2. Inertia

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Two: Inertia**

Inactivity. A word not to be associated with Annie. Or Agent Walker as it was.

She was always moving, always somewhere, going a thousand miles an hour. As a teenager she had worked and juggled school. In college, she took upon herself two jobs, extracurriculars and then university studies on top of it all. And now, she was handling the demanding CIA lifestyle, hiding said lifestyle from her nosy sister and keeping a relationship steady.

But now, inertia had taken over. It had been a setup, a mission gone wrong. Not even Auggie could've stopped it, yet he was blaming himself for it. In fact, his left hand had already paid the price – according to the doctors, he had broken three of his metacarpal bones.

It didn't surprise Auggie though – he had taken his anger out on a brick wall, and considering the brick wall was still intact, he clearly had lost this battle. The moment he heard gunshots over his headphones, he had called for her with utter despair.

He was beyond worried – knowing his girlfriend was lying on a hospital bed was enough. Concern etched his features and then confusion as he heard someone enter the room.

"Who's there?" He asked, hoping it wasn't someone coming to finish the job done on Annie.

"It's just me, Auggie." Stu's voice said with worry. Of course Stu of all people would come and check up on him and Annie. He had discovered that Auggie and Annie were dating when he accidentally stumbled upon them at a secret rendezvous at a nice restaurant. He was taking a girl on a date – and in the meantime, caught his boss and friend intertwining hands with his agent. Annie had seen him, and with utter surprise detached herself from Auggie's grip, but it was too late – Stu had seen and now he knew.

"Hey…" Auggie said with no emotion lacing his features or voice. Stu knew that Auggie was tapping into his CIA-training. Emotion was weakness and enemies used weaknesses to their advantage.

"Listen, umm….how do I say this?" Stu started pacing around in the small hospital room.

His nervousness and anxiety was so strong that even Auggie could feel it, creeping on his angry and guilty demeanor.

"How about…..we get out of here for a while? You know….go get you some clothes from your apartment, maybe some lunch –"

That was all Auggie needed to hear. Stu was trying to take him away from Annie. "No." He said stubbornly.

"Aug…please." Stu practically pleaded. "I wasn't supposed to tell you this, her orders, but Annie asked me to make sure you took care of yourself too – if something like this were to happen." He admitted, pacing once more.

Auggie looked up, at what he assumed to be Stu's general direction. Stu was actually standing three paces to the left of Auggie's glance, but nevertheless, the action stood its intended purpose. A look of certain melancholy befell Auggie's features, and Stu didn't know what to say. This was not in what Annie and him had agreed upon, but the couple were his friends after all.

"Why….why didn't she want to tell me?" Auggie asked, his eyes downcast now, tone more glum than before.

"Erm…." Stu hesitated. He could feel the blush creeping up on the back of his neck – at least Auggie wouldn't see that part of his hesitation. In natural instinct, he placed one hand back, instantly feeling the chill despite that he knew there was no difference in temperature from three minutes ago.

"Stu, if you want me to take care of myself….I need to know. Please, please tell me." At first, Auggie's tone had been slightly angry, but slowly, his tone had depleted into one of despair.

Stu slightly grimaced, but he couldn't _not_ tell his boss and friend. A. He might end up stuck with all the work Auggie didn't want to do. B. The look on his face was heartbreaking. And finally, C. Despite the fact that Annie had warned him not to tell Auggie, there was something pressing in his intuition that this was something he _needed_ to know. After all, this was Auggie – who knew what he might do to acquire the information he wanted.

"Umm….okay…how do I say this?" Stu started pacing, as Auggie sat there, thrumming with anticipation. "….She was afraid you would…I don't know. I guess, revert? She wanted you to stay, and this is a direct quote, 'the sweet Auggie' you are, not secret agent Auggie, aloof and driven indirectly by emotion….she knew something like this was bound to happen. And Annie knew that you would refuse to take care of yourself, but she told me not to let yourself become emaciated, in both life and literally." Stu rambled, his explanation finally coming full circle.

Auggie sighed, taking everything in. Finally, he stood up. "If it's what Annie would've wanted…then, I guess let's go."

"Okay, good. Let me drive you home so you can clean up." Internally, Stu was relieved, but nevertheless, he knew his friend wouldn't stop worrying until Annie was up and running – healed, revived, and ready to go.

* * *

><p>Auggie sat next to Annie's bedside once more. Except now, he looked more like the dapper tech ops and less like 'street hobo'. He had even taken the time to shave, leaving behind the thick shadow of the beard he <em>could<em> grow if prompted too. However, Annie had once admitted to him that although she liked five o'clock shadows, she hated when they grew any thicker.

Glancing over at Annie as the nurse redressed her wounds she had sustained. It looked better than it had days ago. In fact, when he had first seen it, he had nearly gone into a hysterical rage. How had he let this happen to Annie? Why? Why hadn't he figured out the code? After the fact, it seemed so obvious – yet, here was Annie in all her inertia, fast asleep under the effects of many antibiotics, painkillers, and the like.

It was completely understandable as to why so much was needed. And it was his entire fault too. Or at least, for now, he was blaming himself.

Annie had sustained injuries before, but nothing like this. She had broken her collarbone, having a bullet shatter it. Plus not to mention the three broken ribs she had received from what Auggie assumed was a nasty fight. These were seventh floor injuries – something Annie didn't need to experience lest she make the jump to said department.

A low growl escaped Auggie's throat as he thought of that possibility. Annie wouldn't do that to him….would she? It would be a great leap in her CIA career, and if she made that choice, she would have to drop all connections – her sister, her nieces…even him.

Well, if it ever came to that, Auggie knew his place. He wouldn't make Annie bend to his own needs – he wanted her to succeed at this job, even if it meant being a part of seventh floor secrecy.

He felt at an odds – part of him wanted Annie to prosper, grow further than he had been able to. But another part was jealous and needy. He needed Annie to stay with him, he didn't want her to leave, because she could easily be swept up by a seventh-floor man who she could actually date and have a relationship with.

As it was now, only Stu, and more than likely Joan (that woman was intuitive, more so than anyone else he had ever met, including his mother) knew about their relationship of one month. It was different than any other relationship Auggie had experienced, and it was enthralling him, pushing him in ways he thought he'd already learned.

A slight groan from Annie interrupted his many thoughts.

Was she finally waking up? Would Auggie be able to hug her again? Kiss her?

Auggie listened, strained his ears to see if there was any change to her breathing or heart rate being monitored quite loudly to his sensitive hearing. There was a slight sigh, and a shuffle in movement.

Then, there it was. "Ow…." Annie groaned again, this time in pain. Her heart rate picked up. Auggie felt an overwhelming sense of panic settle, and he realized that Annie was terrified – and of course she would be. She didn't know what had happened, as far as he knew, and here she was, smack dab in the middle of a hospital, probably drugged up and in pain.

"Annie, you're okay. You are fine. You're….you're alive." Auggie tried comforting, letting his smooth baritone speak his soft words. Hopefully, Annie would recognize his voice.

"Auggie? Aug, where am I?" Annie asked, her voice confused and fuzzy. Then again, she had been asleep for the past couple days – every now and then she would wake up as they redressed her, but almost immediately, she would close her eyes once more, none the wiser as to what was happening.

"The hospital, Annie. I'll explain everything later, but for now let's just calm you down." Auggie said softly, reaching for her hand, moving his thumb back and forth over her soft skin. Even throughout everything, she still had her own tangy citrusy scent. Maybe it wasn't only the perfume – maybe it was simply Annie.

Leaning down, he buried his face in her hair, reveling in the fact that Annie was going to be okay. She was going to survive.

Meanwhile, Annie suddenly felt something wet yet warm hit her shoulder. Was Auggie crying? Why was he crying? Especially over her…

"Aug…." she whispered, reaching her right hand up before searing pain hit. Bad idea. So instead, she moved her left hand up, and brushed her fingers through Auggie's hair, letting her comforting ministrations calm him down instead of confronting him on his tears.

It wouldn't be an actual confrontation, of course, but Auggie probably wasn't ready to talk about it.

"Hey, hey," Annie called out for him, pressing soft kisses to the side of his head. "I don't know what happened, but this much I can promise you, Auggie; everything is going to be okay."

Auggie thought about her words as he too kissed her and reveled in the fact that she was still here with him, and that fate willing, she would be here, with him, for a long time to come.

Annie was right: everything was going to be okay.

As long as Annie was by his side, every single little thing would work out and be okay.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this little thing literally came out of nowhere. I was very unsure about how to incorporate the word "inertia" (of all words) into this story. And no ideas had actually formed themselves, until suddenly, BAM! Idea attack! **

**So yeah. And by the way, I've decided that I have a playlist for Making Memories - and for this chapter, I listened to The Temper Trap's "Sweet Disposition" non-stop. If you haven't heard it, either parts of it in the Diet Coke commercials, or the entirety of it, go and listen to it. Do it. Do it now. Haha. :)**

**Annnndddd...finally, I hope I did this a little bit different. I've read a lot of takes on Annie getting injured in the field, and I'm hoping I did it justice. And that Auggie wasn't too OOC towards the end. :\**

**But, if you all would do me a favor, feed my muse (and ego), and click that little blue button below to review and leave some thoughts, they would be much appreciated. **

**-Audrey.**

**P.S. A lot of these chapters have been slight angst and then total fluff, but I'm hoping that next chapter works out to be all angst. I myself am angsty to get one of _those _chapters out there. Wish me luck! :)**


	3. Tension

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Three: Tension**

Annie was completely aggravated as she grabbed a handful of her belongings and crammed them into a suitcase. She worked against the pull of a small glimmer of hope in her conscience.

Despite her CIA training, she wasn't fast enough to evade Auggie, who broke her angry tornado-like pathway by blocking the bedroom door. Well, what easily _was_ their bedroom door.

"Annie, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Auggie accused, his voice lined with such extreme annoyance that Annie had the right mind to be confused.

It was just a second, but in that second, the hope eased its way more into her heart and lessened the anger.

"What the hell am _I_ doing, Auggie? I'll let you think about that question for a second, okay?" She retorted as she opened another drawer – her undergarments, grabbed another handful and crammed some more. She was quickly running out of space – with the bit of space left, it was determined she needed a versatile pair of shoes. Preferably running shoes.

"Don't you dare go out in this frigid weather dressed in your pajamas!" Auggie demanded of her. He knew she was still in her nightwear because they had been snuggling into the couch only twenty minutes ago before this heated argument began.

Annie wasn't taking it.

With a sigh, Annie admitted her final thought on the subject to him. "I'm done, August. Okay? That's it. That's all I'm going to say."

The tension grew exponentially. Auggie's features softened as he thought about Annie's words. Despite the growing apprehension between the two, Auggie realized that both were very wrong. But if Annie didn't admit it, he wasn't going to either.

Annie turned her back to Auggie, and zipped up her suitcase. She was still in her pajamas, as if to spite him. Grabbing her trench coat in bright cherry red, she buttoned it up so as to provide some _warmth_.

Fight or not, Annie preferred not to freeze to death tonight.

"Annie…." Auggie, softly said. "Don't do this. I'm only worried about you. This is for your own safety!" His words had softened continuously until now, the subject at hand once more grating on his nerves.

"My own safety? Or your paranoia?" Annie accused, eyes glaring at her boyfriend – she knew that he could feel the daggers in his direction. He seemed to have grown a sense for individual feelings lacking sight.

"Okay, so maybe it is my paranoia, Ann Catherine! Suddenly I don't have a right to worry about you?" Auggie threw back his own accusation. This fight had come out of the blue, simply out of a small comment that Annie had made about a particular possible future mission.

"August! Why can't you honestly listen! I said _possibly _Joan might do this. _Possibly_. She however, knows the position we're in and your stance on me going into that particular sort of situation. She _knows_, Auggie. I told her so. Why? Because believe it or not, I _did_ take you into consideration. I wasn't going to leave you high and dry without so much a word. I'm _not_ Ben, and I never intended to be."

Auggie fell silent. _Of course_ it would be Annie to take him into consideration. She always did. When she had moved in, she had made sure almost everything stayed virtually the same for his convenience.

Still – he wasn't ready to let this go. There was still a lot more to discuss.

"You should have said no immediately. You know how I feel – we've discussed it before." Auggie retorted.

"Joan is my superior, Auggie, and you know that. She can send me to Siberia if she wants to and if the need is required! In fact, if I had said no, she might've felt the need to further send me there."

"Tikrit is no place for you to be! You're an agent who handles extractions and passes and exchanges. I don't want you in Iraq for every possible reason, and you _know_ why! Especially not to track down some agent that went off the grid months ago. And especially because as you said, Joan knows what happened to me there, and that we're together, and how I feel about you going into the Middle East." Auggie had had enough.

The tension was thick enough that Annie felt she could barely get a word in. But she had to. She needed to show Auggie that she could take care of herself – that she could handle a mission where he had lost his sight.

"Auggie….realize this: I am in an entirely different situation. The odds are–"

"Odds are never reliable. The odds said that I would regain my vision in a few months. I never did. The odds said that it was a simple roundabout – nothing too dangerous considering the line of work I was in. The odds also said that that bomb going off has sheer chance…that it should've never gone off. But it _did_. And look where we are now. I can't even see you. I'll never be able to see you, Annie."

His voice, features and posture dripped of absolute disappointment in himself, in her, and in the entire situation. Annie had hit a soft spot that she had promised his never to hit.

"I…Auggie. I need to do this. You have to understand…part of me wants to stay here, safe with you. Forever and ever, if you'll have me. But another part wants to know that part you always keep hidden away. I'll never experience what you've experienced…but I just want a little piece of knowledge. From what you've told me, the memories…I just want a piece of my own, Aug."

"You don't have to. You can do it under different circumstances. Circumstances that _aren't_ life-threatening. I…I can't lose you again, Annie. It's terrifying sometimes, thinking that you won't come back to me. I've almost lost you several times – but last time was the worst..."

With that little revelation, Annie was awestruck. It was true though…last time she had been seriously injured, she had been displaced from fieldwork for three months. Even now, her right hand still didn't handle a lot of work the way it used to – or at least the way Annie remembered.

"I can't afford that again, Annie…I can't…handle the turmoil again. Hospital beds, doctors, constant monitoring, lying to your sister about your wellbeing, being told odds that are _never_ for sure. You can never trust the odds, Annie, and even though all the odds say that you will be fine on this mission, just like you are on most of your missions, I cannot handle you taking this risk."

"What are you saying, Auggie? That if I do this, it's over between us?" Annie asked, her heart thrumming against her chest. She had made a promise to herself that no mission would ever cause a drift between them. But here it was: a stalemate. The idea itself made tears spring up to Annie's eyes. She was a strong person – but something like this…it was more damaging than she could handle.

"I don't know…" Auggie said with a shrug in response to her question. "But fine. You want to leave, then go ahead. Leave." He was giving up on this…on _them_.

"What?"

"You don't want this? Fine. I love you, Annie, but I've begged you over and over to try and compromise. I want you to stay here, I do. And I'm begging you right now. I just..." Auggie trailed off, running his hands over his face, and he groaned.

Annie could only stare on, as her tears began to grow. How had this entire mess even started?

"I never said I didn't want to stay…or that I would take the mission, you know…"

"Well, you never said you _wouldn't_!" Auggie's features showed only anger, predominantly. But some part…he cared, almost too much. Annie's shoulders began to shake, and she started to cry. Auggie turned his back on her and walked to the kitchen as he heard her sobs grow a bit more audible.

She was breaking down. He was still furious, but the sound of her crying made his heart hurt.

He looked back at Annie's general direction, feeling weary and emotionally drained. Annie stared back at Auggie, perched on the arm of the chair; her usually warm browns gazing painfully back at Auggie, rimmed in tears, her cheeks stained and tinged pink in flush from crying so hard.

Auggie's own face at that point was tear-stained and rosy, his cheeks hot from the intensity of their argument.

Auggie and Annie had never fought like this before. Ever.

There had been times when they'd fought about the little things. Work especially. Annie hated it, but she knew that Auggie did too. However, this was the worst case they'd run into, and it had both of them frustrated beyond belief.

Did Auggie want to work it out with Annie? Of course he did. He loved her.

But still, the glimmer of doubt lingered. He didn't know how badly she wanted to work it out with him.

"I did say that I took you into consideration," she said suddenly, her voice low.

"What?" Auggie asked dumbly, his mind drawing a blank on her statement.

"I did say it. Most decisions I make at work now are through my own process of what you would think. If you would approve or not. If you'd be okay with it." Her demeanor was so sad, Auggie felt particularly guilty about causing this, pursuing their argument.

"When?" Auggie could only manage to lamely ask one-word questions, at the moment.

"When we started this argument." Her words were angry, but her tone was far from it–it was sad. Discouraged. Belittled.

He tried to think back, and then he remembered her outburst. "_She knows, Auggie. I told her so. Why? Because believe it or not, I did take you into consideration."_

Auggie sighed. "Well, you didn't act like you did."

Annie rolled her eyes. "Aug, I love you with my whole heart. I want nothing more to be with you." She paused. "That clear enough for you?"

He shrugged. Annie sighed. "Aug, I have...I have all these insecurities. Where we'll be in a few years. Where we'll be in a few _months_. We're just barely past the one-year mark. Will we make it to three? Will you fall out of love with me somewhere along the way?" She looked at Auggie as he opened his mouth to negate that question of hers before she continued, "Will I fall out of love with you?" She paused. "I want us to be happy, Auggie. I really do. And it's normal to be unsure of where a relationship is headed, but add on the fact that there are always people invading our relationship? It makes it harder, and more confusing, and more unpredictable. I don't...sometimes, I don't know how to handle it."

Annie had never really expressed all of these fears of hers with him; these insecurities. In fact, Auggie had some of his own, very similar ones. But he's never talked about them with Annie.

It was clear how much Annie loved Auggie. She began pouring her heart out again. "Sometimes, I feel like you don't realize how much this affects me, Auggie."

He shook his head. "Annie, you're _always_ at the front of my mind in times like this. That's why I never want you to say anything, and why I try to control my feelings, though I sometimes slip–like tonight." I paused. "I want you to succeed. I do. It's not always easy to contain my emotions about the risks you take. Sometimes I want you to take a desk job and live with it, but…I couldn't do that to you. I would never do that to you, even though it's difficult for me too. And it's hard because all I want to do is be able to love you, but I have to protect you all the same while keeping my cool and...it's a challenge." Auggie frowned. "You don't want to take this mission, deep down, do you?"

Annie nodded. "I guess…how did you..."

"Your voice," he answered. "I could hear it in your voice. And Annie, if you want to take it, you can. I care, but this is your career and your choices. It shouldn't be this hard to be with you, but it is."

Auggie scowled, not speaking for a long time, Why does this have to be so hard?" He asked, saying his thoughts out loud.

"Why does _what_ have to be so hard?" Annie queried.

"Love," he replied. "Falling in love. Being in love. _Staying_ in love."

"Do you want to stay in love with me?" Annie asked him.

Auggie nodded, his gaze fixated almost on Annie, as if he were really _seeing_ her. "More than anything."

"What about you? You want to stay in love with me?"

She nodded. "I do. More than anything as well."

"So then why are we fighting, Annie?" Auggie asked. "If we want to stay in love and we know it's going to be hard...why are we doing this? Why are we acting like we can't resolve it if we want to?"

Annie sighed. "It's just...hard sometimes. Sometimes I feel like...it'll only get easier if I give you up."

"So, you've wanted to walk out." His statement was deadpanned; hard.

Annie negated his guess. "I don't _want_ to. Sometimes I feel like I _have_ to, to make your life easier. Less worrying…over me."

"I would worry over you even then. I've always worried about you. Maybe it's ingrained…I don't know."

With those few words, Annie broke the physical barrier between them, the tension, and walked over to Auggie, placing her arms around her neck and holding onto him for dear life.

"I'm sorry. So sorry…" Annie mumbled into his shirt. "I love you."

"Love you too," Auggie said, halfway surprised at her sudden physical contact. He hadn't been expecting it.

"First thing tomorrow morning, I'll tell Joan…I don't want this mission. I never wanted it – you were right."

"I know you can take care of yourself, Annie. If you want to go, then go. I won't stop you."

"I wouldn't do that to you. For now, I just want to be here, with you."

"Okay." Auggie said simply, as he led them towards the couch. The bedroom would be much more comfortable for their after-argument cuddling, but neither protested.

"Okay," Annie repeated, as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Auggie's lips.

Everything _wasn't _perfectly okay. But they had found a solution among their problems. For now, things were fixed.

Deep down, however, Auggie _knew_. He knew that one day, he would ask Annie to be his wife. He couldn't imagine being with anyone else but her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the super long wait. Life just got really hectic with one thing or another, and it was difficult to juggle everything. So I had to let go of writing for a bit. I'm hoping that as soon as the fall semester starts, I'll be able to get into a schedule of writing - that way you guys can get updates much sooner. :)**

**Other than that, what did you guys think? Don't be afraid to click that little blue button below and leave your thoughts! I'm perfectly friendly, and my muse will appreciate thoughts shared!**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**-Audrey  
><strong>


	4. Friend

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Four: Friend**

For the longest time, friends were all they had been. Neither had thought of crossing the boundary – perhaps a distant thought here, or a strange dream there, but Auggie sure as hell hadn't known he would initiate the dominoes.

It seemed strange to him – how were they going to proceed from here? He had no idea what was going on in Annie's mind, or if she even remembered…who was he kidding? He had been the sober one of the two, and he remembered every detail. Maybe she didn't remember…

Some part of him desperately wished that she wouldn't – that nothing would change. He had been pushing down his feelings for months now, eager to bury them and maintain a friendship with her. He didn't _want_ her to know, not yet, at least. He had been hoping to plan a giant romantic gesture – something so spectacular that she'd confess her undying love for him.

Auggie snorted out loud. He heard chairs turning around, no doubt to look at him in curiosity, but he played dumb – with his headphones over his ears, they probably thought he couldn't hear them or _feel_ their questioning glances.

She hadn't been drunk – at least, Auggie didn't think so. _But_, she had been, at the very least, quite buzzed – maybe enough to wipe out any and all memories of the night before…sometimes he wished he could just run away from all his doubts and troubles. But even then….he'd come back for Annie.

How many times had he had that dream?

Annie – he could see her in his dreams, beautiful, blonde, with big brown eyes…she would run after him when he threatened to leave. She would beg him not to go, and then she'd kiss him…and then some, after that.

He'd usually wake up in the middle of the night, sweating and panting, almost like a nightmare, but entirely the opposite. He'd feel his hormones thrumming against his skin, and the evidence thereof unmistakable beneath the covers.

He hated those nights. The dreams were nice, pleasant, even perfect he might say, but the ending – not so much.

He cleared his throat, trying not to draw more attention to him. Luckily that small little action didn't earn him any looks – at least, none that he could feel.

Was Annie avoiding him intentionally? Usually they met up at the front doors of the secretive building, but today she had left him a voice-mail (had she avoided even _talking_ to him?) that was hurried but had enough details – she was running late and not to wait up. And she had a hangover.

That last piece of information was the one that had him curious – if she'd had enough to drink for the aftereffects to show up, had she had enough to completely eradicate all the actions last night?

She hadn't dropped by the office like she usually did at 10am to let him know if they could grab lunch. Sure, sometimes she was late, but it was already 11:30 by his calculations and Stu had already invited him out, so he'd said yes.

And today he hadn't even caught her lingering scent or heard her heels clicking away to even remotely place her somewhere in the building…Auggie came to a conclusion.

She _was_ avoiding him, and with that, he made a decision – _two could play at that game_.

* * *

><p>Annie sighed as her mind replayed the events of last night. No regret thrummed though her conscious, sober mind, however, so that was a good sign.<p>

She had _kissed_ Auggie. And he had kissed her back. And they had kissed and probably would have done much more if he hadn't had amazing self-control. In fact, she had pushed him to do more, but he had stood his ground.

She sighed and thrummed her fingers against Joan's desk.

"Agent Walker?" Joan questioned, her tone sharp and strict. Annie winced, knowing she had given her lack of attention away.

"Yes ma'am?" She looked at her boss and almost winced in real life. Joan's lips were pursed, her arms crossed, and a strong look on her face. "I'm sorry – it's just…so much to take in…_again_. And only in a span of a couple of hours…"

"Well, considering this is all related to you being back on missions, it would be in your best interest to focus and listen." Joan's look softened and she continued. "I know it's a lot, but if we don't get it done now before more missions start, I won't have any time. You're a novice, but one of the best, and I want you out there as much as you want yourself out there."

Annie nodded, and Joan went back to explaining. This time, she tried not to make it so apparent that her mind was elsewhere.

She was secretly hoping that she could just burst out of this office and run to Auggie's desk and…and what? Kiss him? Slap him? Slap him and then kiss him? Even though everything had been spurred because of her actions, she felt the need to blame him.

Had she not still been "paying attention" to Joan, she would have chuckled at her own special brand of madness. She wondered, briefly, if Auggie would be up to the task of dealing with that…

"Okay, I'm just going to need some signatures and a witness…I'll go ahead and call Auggie since he's your handler." Joan started as she started rustling some papers and picking up the phone. Luckily Annie had been tuned in partially – despite having been mostly lost in her thoughts.

A quick phone call and a few minutes later, Auggie was at the door, looking as dapper as ever. Annie felt heat rise to her cheeks, but she calmed herself down – controlled emotions were better, _especially_ in front of Joan. As soon as he entered and realization dawned upon his face, a stoic look fell on his features. So he knew she was _here_. But that look didn't bode well for her.

The room was tense, and all Annie really wanted to do was reach for him and hear him tell her a dorky joke that she could laugh at. But this wasn't the time or the place – especially considering the tension that was rising in the room. Joan indubitably could feel it, but she didn't call either of them out on it, luckily.

In a matter of minutes, everything was signed – over and done with. Joan ushered both of them out of her office, undoubtedly eager for some alone time after so many hours spent with Annie.

"Umm, Auggie?" Annie started, not entirely sure whether she was going to insult him or hug him. Either one wouldn't have been appropriate in the workplace, however, so she continued. "Do you want to just…grab some coffee instead of the tavern today?"

The continued walking down the steps, Annie's arm looped through Auggie's. Despite everything, she wasn't going to leave him high and dry. She still enjoyed walking him in and she had missed it this morning.

"I don't know Annie. Considering you've been avoiding me…maybe it's best we –" Annie had to cut him off at that moment, despite it being rude.

"I haven't been avoiding you. Please don't say that. I was busy with Joan all morning…otherwise, I would've shown up at your desk first thing this morning…we need to talk."

"You want to do this right now?" He questioned, brows furrowing as they walked into his office. It was empty now, Annie noted, except for Stu, but with one look at the two of them, he got the hint, stood and left.

"I'd prefer we didn't do it now, but if that's what you're suggesting, then yes. Let's do this right now." Annie pouted, knowing it was childish, but used it to her advantage despite Auggie not seeing it. "I know what I did…was beyond the boundaries of our friendship…but…I don't know…I don't know, Auggie. I don't know what to do after this…how to continue."

Auggie was pleased to a certain extent – she remembered. But this confusion…it wasn't a good sign either. He wanted to tell her to just be with him – the option was there and it was simple and it was for the best – for both of them…but he hesitated. He didn't want to force her into a relationship she may not have wanted.

"I'm not going to tell you what I think, and I'm not going to tell you what to do either, Annie. But know this – I kissed you back and I wasn't even moderately buzzed. The decision is yours though – you can either do this, or we can forget about it and go back to being friends. It's yours, and I will not interfere with your choice." Auggie said, facing her, though not directly looking at her. That would've been too eerie, but either way, as her heart thrummed against her chest and butterflies exploded in her stomach…Annie knew her heart had already made the choice for her.

"Aug….I want to do this. I do. In fact, if I weren't so sure there were eyes everywhere and ears listening, I'd…well, I'd do something not exactly appropriate for the work place."

Auggie broke into a huge smile and leaned in closer. "Well maybe this afternoon, you can do whatever you want to do when we get coffee."

Annie leaned in further and embraced him. It could've easily gotten them in trouble, but she didn't care.

Nothing about what anyone thought mattered at the moment – only Auggie mattered, and that's what was important. _Him_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What's this? I finally decided to update? Shocker, right? Well, ladies and gentlemen (maybe, haha), I am not back completely, unfortunately - but I am trying so hard to make this work, I really am.**

**Between, work, an internship (that's right, _both_. Internships don't pay for school, unfortunately...no matter how _good_ they look on resumes), and school, I have been busier than I probably ever have been in my entire life. Plus uni classes are kicking my butt.  
><strong>

**Nevertheless, I jammed out this chapter after such a long time because I finally got sick of the sticky note sitting on my desk that says "Don't forget to update!" I didn't necessarily forget, but either way - time to dedicate to fanfics has been reduced..._a lot_, as I'm sure you can clearly tell...  
><strong>

**Anyways, enough talk from me! Let me know what you think, I'll try and respond in a timely fashion...oh! And reviews are always lovely for the muse. ;)  
><strong>

**-Audrey**


	5. Ordinary

**Making Memories of Us**

**Chapter Five: Ordinary**

Very little about their relationship could be called, well, normal, Annie had always thought. She wasn't quick to pinpoint a source of their lack of normalcy, but if Annie was forced to make a choice, she'd say firstly, their jobs.

He was her handler and she was his agent. It was as simple as that when they were on the clock – nothing less…but sometimes a little bit more. Annie chuckled to herself as she removed her bright cherry red Jimmy Choo's. A present from Auggie, actually, now that she thought about it. These shoes were the ones she had worn while Joan had been away on vacation (with Arthur in tow) and she was out on a simple extraction.

No running was involved until her briefcase had been acquired – that's when it had gone to hell.

_"Annie, talk to me – what's happening?" Auggie's voice spoke into her ear, slight static sounding from having been jostled. Annie, however, was too preoccupied trying to get out into the open street where she would be in less danger._

_"Annie? Do I need to call someone? Please, tell me what to do! Are you hurt?" His voice continued, starting to get laced with panic as she didn't answer._

_"It's an earthquake, Aug, nothing to worry about. Except…shit." She muttered, looking back to the restaurant table she had been sitting at. Sure enough, there sat her beautiful red pumps – she was **not** leaving without those._

_Annie could hear Auggie take a deep breath. "What's wrong?"_

_"My shoes…I need to go back and get them."_

_Auggie paused, unsure of what to say to that. "Annie, please leave the shoes and stay in an open area. There could be aftershocks."_

_"Well, I'm barefoot and there's debris even though it wasn't too strong of an earthquake. I don't want to leave them behind…" Annie argued. He sighed audibly, knowing it was of no use to try and continue convincing her, but his stubbornness decided to go with one more try._

_"I will buy you another three or four pairs to replace those if I have to. Just leave them."_

_"I can't. They're special." She countered quickly._

_"Why? I'm sure I can get you another pair. Or two or three…"_

_"They're the ones you got me for my birthday. Besides, while you were busy arguing with me, I managed to grab them – I'll be home soon, promise." Her voice dropped down low, even though she knew whoever was listening would be able to pick it up. "Love you."_

_"Me too," he responded, knowing that if anybody in the office heard, they'd never stop mocking them for the sentiment. Auggie sighed again as he leaned back into his chair. Of course she'd go back for that pair out of any. He started chuckling, half in relief and half in a slight hysteria – it was no surprise that she would set special significance unto a pair of shoes._

_And when he went to pick her up at the airport, he was sure she'd be holding onto those shoes for dear life._

Annie still insisted that those shoes were as special as ever – Auggie had picked them out with the help of two store clerks. He wasn't sure of their height or if they were the right color, but considering what he had shelled out (he hadn't wanted to tell her, so Annie assumed it had been _a lot_) and how much he had tried, Annie favored them over any other shoes in her vast collection.

She smiled as she remembered the sheepish look on his face as he held the wrapped present, topped off with a red bow. He had been hoping it was enough and when she had opened it, she insisted it was more than enough. They had barely been dating for a few months, so such a lavish gift was a surprise to her, but she wasn't about to admonish him for the expense – he truly was wonderful.

She plodded quietly through the bedroom and into the bathroom. Closing the door almost silently she turned and looked at her reflection. Her blonde hair was pinned back so as to make it look slightly shorter, hanging a bit below her shoulders in waves and curls. Annie sighed and removed the bobby pins and let her hair flow freely.

Looking once more at her reflection, she realized that she hadn't put on an ounce of makeup, save for a little bit of blush to make her cheeks stand out. Not that Auggie would see it, but still – it was nice to feel prettier than usual some days.

Annie rolled down her fishnet tights – he had always had a fascination with the texture of her skin against the smooth silk of the tights themselves. Plus she loved the way her legs looked – nothing like self-appreciation sometimes.

She quickly slipped off her skirt and removed her black blouse, slipping on an old men's button-down shirt that was perfect for her makeshift pajamas. Plus if she leaned her nose into the collar, she could still catch a distant whiff of Auggie's scent despite it being washed and worn by her many times over.

Leaving the bathroom, she shut the door behind her and smiled despite herself – Auggie was sitting on the bed, listening to a book, eyes closed and slightly humming. "You're watching and smiling at me – do I have something on my face?" He asked, fingers working on the tape player that held all his favorites. It was a bit antiquated, but the little quirks could always be appreciated.

"No, no, just…I love you. So much. And I know I've probably said it about a million times tonight and…" Annie realized she had started rambling as a goody smile stretched across his lips.

"I love you too. A million times over. I love hearing you say it too – I won't ever get tired of hearing you say it. So don't stop." He assured her as he patted the bed next to him. He had already turned the bed over, which Annie could only smile at – it was such a small gesture, but it held significance as to how much he cared.

Annie slipped into bed, and this time she couldn't help herself – she glanced at the ring sitting on her left hand. She had resisted staring at it all night and while she was undressing, but now she could openly gawk at it without shame.

Auggie leaned in, his lips close to her ear. "Do you like it?"

"You always seem to know what I'm doing…but the answer is yes. I love it. Your brothers…well, I'm glad they cooperated." She jokingly said, intertwining her free hand with his.

"They would've cooperated either way. They love you. And since my brothers have 'dibs' on everything else in the family, my parents sought fit to give me my grandmother's ring. I remember looking at it when I was younger…much younger, and thinking who would matter so much in my life that I'd give this to them…and well, that person is you, Annie."

Annie broke out into a smile and leaned into his shoulder. Her heart felt like it could almost burst from how much love was contained.

_Annie hadn't been expecting much from their weekly dinners – but the fact that it had been booked at Citronelle was a bit strange to her. Auggie wasn't the kind to try and lavish her with expensive things – he liked to surprise her, but not extensively. What was he up to?_

_However when dessert arrive and the garcon lit up candles, Auggie sank down to one knee. Annie gasped – both in astonishment and surprise – how had she not seen this as a possibility?_

_"Annie Walker, as much as I would love to spiel about how much you matter to me, I only want you to know this – you are my world…would you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?"_

_Annie had never been an overly emotional person, but something about the situation and maybe she could blame it on the four glasses of wine, but she started tearing and nodding, repeating the one syllable word that she knew he wanted to hear. "Yes, yes, yes. I would love…I love….oh god. I can't even form a coherent sentence." Annie said, with a slight chuckle on her lips. _

_He slipped on **her** ring and stood up, looking as dapper as ever. She could never have enough of him. And now she could have him forever._

Auggie wrapped his arm around her and pressed a few tender kisses to her neck. She let out a soft moan as he bit her neck – sure to leave a mark. She didn't say anything however, as he continued lower down to her collarbone, and more than likely, further.

With a smile, Annie couldn't help but think that no matter how many aspects of their relationship weren't ordinary, his proposal had been. She was going to be Mrs. Auggie Anderson, a title not befitting her independence, but one that she still wanted. And that was all both could ever ask for.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So a bit cliche, yes, but I couldn't help myself, haha. I'm sure with the crazy lifestyle they would have, a little normalcy is a nice change. Plus, I can be as cliche as I want to be. Hehehe.  
><strong>

**Anyways, this week is going to be a busy one (I swear, my professors are trying to cram in as much as possible before fall break), so...let me know what you think! The muse could always use the inspiration, hint hint. Hehe. ;)  
><strong>

**-Audrey  
><strong>


	6. Chaos

**Making Memories Of Us  
><strong>

**Chapter Six: Chaos**

It had been one entire week.

A whole _week_ since Annie had yelled at Auggie to get out of the house, the previous Sunday. He had left, thinking that he could crash at Stu's place for the night and come back to make up with Annie in the morning. But when he had returned, he had been surprised to reach the front door and bump into something – a suitcase, neatly packed and resting on the stoop. The door was locked and the house desolate.

Auggie had sighed, picked up the suitcase and left. He realized he couldn't stay at Stu's forever – a quick phone call to his brother and wife (who had moved to D.C. in the past few months), and a guest room was set up for him. Nonetheless, he thought it unnecessary – he _knew_ that Annie couldn't stay mad at him forever. Sure, this was their biggest fight to date. But she couldn't keep him out of the house for too long, right?

_Wrong_. Auggie had called. Auggie had sent flowers. Auggie had sent his brother, Aaron, to talk to Annie. Phone calls went unanswered and unreturned. Flowers went unacknowledged. Aaron just came back, simply saying, "Dude, she's pretty mad. I don't really know what to tell you…you can stick around here if you want…" he had suggested, his tone slightly frightened and sheepish.

Aaron was the only person, besides his wife Katie and her sister that was allowed near Annie after a fight. So, if even Aaron was afraid of Annie, that meant…Auggie shuddered at the thought of what that meant. Instead, he waited for Annie to calm down.

After three days, he was frustrated. After five days, he was worried.

And now, after seven days…he was furious.

She was flat out being uncooperative and refusing to speak to him. When she _knew_, after four years of marriage, that talking things out worked best between them. _Communication_. With hectic schedules and secretive jobs, talking things out between to two of them was key.

So the silence, after the biggest fight of their relationship, really angered Auggie. And that's why he was currently standing in front of _their_ house, set on righting the situation out, whether she liked it or not. He had a week to think about their fight, a whole week to replay the words and the sentences over and over in his head.

* * *

><p>One week earlier…<p>

_"What does it say?" He asked cautiously. He was sitting on the edge of the sink, legs swinging slowly back and forth. Annie was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, staring ahead and biting her lip._

_"I don't know…we have to wait a few more minutes…" she answered softly, the anxiety obvious in her voice._

_The white stick was sitting on the toilet lid – taking its sweet time to reveal a pink positive or a negative sign._

_Auggie had come home that night from a long day at the office – today had been Annie's day off, so he had taken a car to and from. While he was still considered Annie's handler, he had ended up helping with another mission and all in all, it had been a stressful day. After such a long day, he had stumbled in the doorway, wanting three things: dinner, a couch, and Annie snuggled next to him._

_What he found instead was a deep silence, filled with apprehension, Annie's footsteps pacing back and forth in their foyer and Rorschach, their Dalmatian, at the door greeting him with a soft nudge to his hand._

_"I skipped a period," she whispered uneasily. Auggie had set his keys down and rubbed his temple. His tired mind tried to link that sentence with her worried voice. Period. Period. Missing it. Late period. That time of the month. Usually no sex during that time of the month. Sex. Period. Missed period. Baby._

_"Oh…OH. Uhhh, well. I mean…wait. You're on the pill though. I mean…that's why we–"_

_"I know, but the last month I haven't been consistent about taking it. I mean, it's been stressful, you know? I've been meaning to go on the patch, but I don't have time–"_

_"Annie. Relax. Okay. Do you think you might be…"_

_"I don't know. I can't remember which time we could have…umm, conceived so I can't do the period math because the weeks and the sex are just blurring together in my head. Like I said, I've been so stressed that I can't even remember how late I am."_

_Auggie leaned forward and grabbed her hands in an attempt to soothe her. She was practically vibrating with nerves._

_"Did you take a test?"_

_"No. I wanted to wait until you got home. Dani ran out and got one for me. I had to wait for you."_

_Auggie nodded and embraced his wife, hoping that his face showed calm when she desperately needed it._

_Annie and Auggie had agreed early on that they wanted to put off having kids until they were able to have less crazy schedules. Auggie was still working hectic and long hours – he had been promoted and now was in charge of more than just one agent at a time. And Annie still had long days and sometimes longer evenings and trips around the world along with helping Joan plan missions and choose which agents could go where. _

_Lately, however, Auggie had started to yearn for a kid of his own. Aaron's wife was pregnant again and Auggie all but ached at the sound of his brother's pride in his voice, always present. Auggie wanted that feeling. He wanted something that he and Annie created, and that they would love together…_

_He hadn't brought it up to her, yet. He wanted to, though. Badly. It was always on the tip of his tongue. At dinner. During phone calls. While they browsed the used book stores together. But all it took was the sound of Annie's exhausted voice and he lost his nerve. She had been so stressed lately, so aware of her job and the missions and her responsibilities...Auggie didn't want to add more burden to her brain. Not yet._

_That didn't stop him wanting a baby, though. The longing seemed to get stronger each day. With every happy moment they shared. Every time he came home and she greeted him, or vice versa...he wanted a baby in her arms._

_Now, they might be having the discussion sooner than he had planned. Because in that bathroom, waiting for the test to display its result, Auggie couldn't help but wish not only for a plus sign, but also for Annie to be happy about it._

_"All right, I'm going to take a look now…" Annie said slowly after checking her watch for the fifth time in the last two minutes. Auggie nodded and listened to her stand up – it was moments like these he wish he could see her. Just so he could watch her move and see the news and how she might be taking it._

_"I…I can't…" Annie sighed. "I wish I could hand this off to you this time…" She sighed again._

_Auggie laughed despite himself and the moment. Annie was always doing this. When the phone rang and she knew the person on the other end was delivering news, she usually yelped and handed the phone to him so he could answer. When she got to the end of a book, she would run around the house until she found him, demanding that she be allowed to tuck herself under his arm in the bed because she couldn't bear to be alone when she found out the ending. He was always her buffer, and he loved that role in their marriage._

_But this was not a phone call or a book ending. This was the beginning of possibly the biggest change in their lives. Auggie hopped off the sink and reached for Annie, twirling his wedding ring up and down his finger. Annie quietly cursed Dani for not getting an easy-read test. The ones that said "pregnant" or "not pregnant". "Knocked up" or "false alarm". "Life changing" or "business as usual."_

_"There's one pink line," Annie told Auggie. Her eyebrows furrowed and she grabbed the instructions from the sink and skimmed over them. Suddenly, calm overtook her entire being and she reached for Auggie. His heart stopped._

_"It's negative. I'm not pregnant." _

_Annie heaved a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around herself before breaking into a wide smile. Auggie's stopped heart started up again, but only so it could break. Annie was relieved with the news. She was happy with the news, in fact._

_"Oh. Good. Well, I guess we'll just have to be more careful with those spontaneous moments in the car. Phew. Jeez, I was so...I mean, I'm just glad–"_

_Auggie tuned out his wife's excited blabbering. He was still processing, wishing he could see the stick himself, wishing it was positive. Wishing Annie was upset that it was negative. Wishing for her to want a family as bad as he did._

_Auggie began picturing another scenario. A scenario in which the test was positive._

_He imagined Annie's eyes lighting up when she realized she was pregnant with his child. With their child. A girl perhaps, with her smile and his wavy hair. Or a boy. Or maybe twins. He imagined them chattering excitedly on the phone to his brothers and their parents after they get back from the doctors to confirm everything. Her sister would cry. His brothers would hoot and holler. And he and Annie would celebrate that very same night by making love, knowing their lives were changing forever. And before they fell asleep afterwards, Auggie would kiss her stomach and whisper goodnight to his baby._

_Their baby._

_He knew that Annie eventually wanted kids. It's not like they hadn't talked about it. But the vision he longed for was not unfolding in front of him. He suddenly found it hard to breathe. The shallow breaths he did manage to suck down were all he heard in his ears. _

_Annie was still chattering away with relief, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He could feel her smiling as she walked over to him, putting her arms around his neck. And like a wind getting sucked through a vortex, Auggie was abruptly brought back to this moment in time._

_"...can't believe that. Well, I guess I'll just be more careful," she finished with a smile. _

_Something inside of Auggie snapped. He felt his emotions come unhinged and start to push outward._

_"Why are you so happy about this?" He asked quietly. Annie's face fell and she immediately stepped back._

_"Huh?"_

_"Why are you so happy that we aren't having a kid?"_

_"Aug..."_

_"I mean, I'm kind of bummed that you're not pregnant. Hell, I'm really bummed that we're not having a baby. And you...you're smiling! I can practically feel it! You're happy about this!"_

_Not anymore she wasn't. Annie took another step back, feeling and looking both confused and concerned. _

_"Annie, why are you so happy that you aren't having a baby with me?" He asked again, this time his voice cracked with emotion when he said the word "baby". He felt his self-control start to slip away. The long day and cramped setting of the bathroom was suffocating him. It was too little space for all the hurt he was feeling. The pain had nowhere to go, so it continued to recycle within him. Somewhere deep inside, Auggie hoped that she felt the hurt he did. But instead, only concern radiated off of her. She wasn't sad – just worried about him. _

_"I'm sorry, hon. I just...I just don't think we're ready yet. I know I'm not."_

_"Well, maybe I am."_

_"Okay, since when? Because you tell me how your morning pee sessions go, so I doubt you'd let something this huge just fall to the wayside."_

_"Don't make jokes right now."_

_"Who's joking? Aug, if you feel like you are ready to have kids, we should–"_

_"Well, now I'm not going to talk about it! Not when you're dancing around in joy over a negative pregnancy test!"_

_"All right, okay, I'll admit my reaction was less than desirable–"_

_"Don't patronize me, Annie," Auggie said firmly. When she started using those words and those tones, he knew she was merely trying to calm him down. She wasn't interested in working things out. She was just trying to subdue him. Annie folded her arms across her chest with a huff._

_"Fine. But I had no idea you felt this way."_

_"How could you when you're out of the house 18 hours a day!"_

_"Excuse me?"Annie choked out in disbelief. Auggie knew he was jumping around now and hurling random issues at her. He didn't care. He kept pushing, trying to get some of the pain out of his chest and into the cramped bathroom. He still couldn't breathe right._

_"I've barely seen you for the past two weeks. How can I discuss important things with my wife when she's never home?"_

_"Aug, it's been busy. You've been with me for almost six years. That entire time I've worked with the CIA. You have too. So-"_

_"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're always busy and I'm always busy and–"_

_"And my job. My career. What I love to do. It's busy. You know this, you've been through it. And you used to understand this. Remember? You are fully aware of my schedule all the time. Why...where is all this coming from?"_

_"Why don't you want to have my kid?" Auggie shouted at her. The more reasonable Annie sounded, the angrier he felt. Her eyes widened in disbelief._

_"What? What the hell are you talking about? I want to have a family with you. But I thought we both decided we would wait. It's too–"_

_"Soon? You're not ready? Well, when will you be ready, babe? You're turning 33 this year so I'm not sure how much longer you can wait," he said simply. Annie gasped as soon as he mentioned her age._

_Even Auggie knew that was a low blow. After all, he had been the one holding her as she cried helplessly on the eve of her 30th birthday. She claimed it was a woman thing. Auggie just held her tight to his chest–to his heart, where she always was within him, and reassured her that he would always find her sexy. And then he showed her how sexy she was to him. Twice._

_But now...now he was using her age as arsenal. To hurt her, because he was hurt. At this moment, he felt very alone. He felt very strongly about this baby issue, and knowing Annie wasn't matching the intensity of his emotions made him feel like he was marooned on a deserted island._

_He had never felt alone in their marriage. She was his best friend, his other and often best half. From the moment she kissed him outside the door of his old apartment, he knew she would become a part of him that he didn't even know was missing. She never was just a girlfriend to him. Annie was his light at the end of the tunnel that was his busy days. She was the added strength he needed to move forward, push on, try harder. Auggie always thought that his family would be only people in this world to possess pieces of his heart despite the difficult times. But Annie...she held the biggest parts._

_But now, realizing that he wanted a child with someone who wasn't sharing that same sentiment made his heart twist into a knot. And it beat awkwardly._

_"What did you just say?" Annie asked him lowly. He swallowed harshly and felt his face heat up._

_"I just meant we shouldn't wait–"_

_"Oh, now you're saying 'we'? Because all I've heard from you so far is 'me', 'I', and 'you'. We're a team, remember?"_

_Auggie immediately felt bad. She was right. Even during their fights, they never drifted too far away from the line that they had drawn between them. A resolution was always just a step away. This fight felt different. Like they weren't even on the same playing field. There was no line, no boundaries. They were both just floating around aimlessly. At least, that's how Auggie felt. Maybe it was because it came up out of him from nowhere, before he even knew what was happening._

_Annie finally closed some of the space between them by stepping closer to him. _

_"Aug, you can't keep huge things like this from me. I know I'm working late, but as soon as we wrap all of the loose ends in missions, we can sit down and–"_

_"You're penciling me in? Like a debriefing or...or a lunch meeting?" Auggie asked incredulously. The awkward heartbeat was starting to become painful._

_"No, it's just that having a baby is a huge sacrifice and–"_

_"Why is having a kid with me a sacrifice?"_

_"Having a kid will always be a sacrifice! But when I'm...when we are ready, those sacrifices won't matter. But we need to talk–"_

_"Annie, either you want to have a baby or not! It's not something that we can analyze or pick apart like anything else!"_

_"I'm not saying that! I'm merely suggesting that we talk it out before making a rushed decision. A baby isn't something we can just up and decide to have. We need to discuss timing and what your schedule looks like and what mine looks like. We need to talk–"_

_"Oh, right. Make sure you program me into your phone. Better yet, how about you just program this whole marriage into your phone and we can do conference calls regarding EVERYTHING," Auggie shouted over-dramatically. He waved his arms in the air before settling them on his hips. Annie glared at him – he could feel the daggers aimed at him._

_"Damnit, Auggie. You know that's now what I meant."_

_"I'll be sure to email you the times I'm available for sex so you can pencil that in too."_

_"At this rate, I can safely say that my own sex availability is not any time soon," Annie shot back._

_"Of course not. Wouldn't want to risk getting knocked up by your husband."_

_"You're an asshole. Get out."_

_"No problem. It'll give you time to email the dialogue from this fight to yourself so you can go over it later!" Auggie yelled at her as he left the bathroom. She followed him through the room, up the stairs and into the front foyer. _

_"I'll do that. I think I'll call it: "August Anderson is an asshole!"_

_"Sounds like a hit," he said while grabbing his keys and opening the front door. _

_"And in my script, I'll make sure it ends with you getting punched in the face!"_

_"Fine!"_

_"Good! Leave!"_

_"I am!" Auggie shouted before slamming the door shut. He heard a thump after the door closed. Annie probably threw a shoe. Auggie let out one more curse before storming off down the street and to call a cab._

* * *

><p>Auggie clenched and unclenched his fist as he prepared to enter his house. He didn't really know if there was a resolution to their fight, or if they could even reach a middle ground. How do you reach a compromise concerning procreating? It's either...let's have a kid or not. No middle ground. And he and Annie did not do too well when they had to deal with extremes. They were both on their own extremes. So when they had to dissect a problem that was on opposite ends of their spectrums, well...it made things messy.<p>

Clearly. Considering fight they just had.

Auggie sighed heavily one more time and reached for the doorknob, hesitating just for a split second in fear that she had changed the locks on him. But the door showed no protest as he opened it. He was immediately hit with an 80's British band blasting at full volume from somewhere upstairs. Annie was writing – her go-to stress-reliever. Or, at least trying to. 80's music meant a block for her.

_"The words flow better when I know you're there to help in case they don't."_

She told him that once. Not that Auggie needed it explained to him. He understood.

Auggie crept into the front hall, and heard Rorschach, who was lying in the middle of the foyer, his favorite spot. He whimpered, clearly having missed Auggie, and scampered over to him. Auggie put his finger to his lips.

"Shhhhhh. Don't bark, boy. Mom doesn't want me here right now. And...wait why aren't you barking? I could be an intruder!" Auggie scolded in a hushed whisper. Rorschach just licked his hand and wagged his tail. Auggie smiled and rubbed his dog's head.

"Some guard dog you are."

Rorschach soon lost interest in Auggie and retreated back to the couch. Auggie heard the music suddenly turn off, and then back up a little bit again. Annie was probably in her office, so he snuck up the stairs as quietly as possible. Auggie was not known for his cat-like motions, and he didn't want a stumbled step or a shoulder into a doorframe to alert Annie and send her screaming at him to get out. He felt foolish, creeping around his own house. But he wasn't sure how Annie would react, so he remained soundless as possible as he made his way past their bedroom, his office, and finally...to her office at the end of the hall.

Annie's office, equal parts creatively messy (her desk and notes) and obsessively organized (her photos and trinkets on her bookcase), was familiar enough for Auggie to almost collapse in relief. He had held his breath the entire walk through the house, trying to keep himself from walking into their bedroom because he knew it would cause him pain. But the familiar sounds of the lead singer's voice singing about "breaking free" and "not needing anyone" on a low volume caused the emptiness he felt this past week start to dissolve.

He could hear Annie – she was on the phone, probably with Joan regarding something work-related. Somehow during their week of fighting, she hadn't been sent out anywhere and both had managed to evade the other.

Almost suddenly, Auggie groaned, all sorts of emotions hitting him at once. The week away from Annie's touch had caught up with him. Auggie bit his lip and listened to her as she talked rapid fire to whoever was on the other line. Instinctively, he stepped to her.

Auggie could feel apprehension and anger practical seethe off of her. Undoubtedly, she was glaring at him, eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. Even her icy glare wasn't enough to kill his desire. He stepped to her again.

"I've got to go. I'll call you later," she mumbled into the phone before hanging up. She tossed it onto her desk from the way the phone clanked onto wood and started walking towards Auggie. Images of hot make-up sex against her desk flew through Auggie's mind, and he gasped in excitement. He reached for her. But she moved her shoulder at the last moment and walked past him. He dropped his arm and turned to follow her.

"What are you doing here? Isn't there some young and hot girl you want who is ready to have your babies right this second?" Annie called out as she made her way down the hall. She turned into his office. Auggie ran after her and stepped into the doorway. She was rifling through his desk.

"I came here because I missed my wife. She hasn't been returning my calls."

"She's pissed at you."

"Well, I was pissed at her."

"Was?"

"I mean, I'm still pissed at her for ignoring me for the past–"

"Auggie, what you said really hurt me."

"The age comment? I know, that was out of line but–"

"No, not the age thing! I know I'm not 26 anymore, but I had you and that was all I needed. I'm talking about the baby thing. How could you possibly think that I don't want a kid with you? When I'm so in love with you I can barely stand it? When I know that the only person I will love more would be a child we create together. How could you think for one second that I wouldn't want that?"

"You were just so happy with the negative test. It killed me."

"I've just been so stressed at work and the last thing I need to deal with is–"

"There you go again! 'Deal with'. Why is the idea of carrying my child such a burden to you?"

"Because having a child is not just nine months of cute, baby stuff! It's the rest of our lives. It's a decision we need to make together!" Annie shouted as she began tossing papers and folders aside. What was she looking for in his office? The last time she had been in there was...oh. The morning of their fight. Auggie watched her for a moment longer before launching back into his argument.

"What if the test had been positive? What if last weekend you did find out that we were having a baby? Would you cry and throw a fit like some teenager who just got knocked up by her hillbilly boyfriend?"

"No, I would've been happy, of course. Just surprised and caught off guard and–where are my files?" She yelled before slapping a stack of notebooks down on his desk. She moved to his bookcase and started shoving things aside. She accidently knocked over a picture of Auggie and Annie from their recent vacation in Barbados. Annie made no move to put it right side up.

Auggie was torn. On one hand, he just wanted to fix this and move on, He had missed his wife. He missed their favorite things game that they played throughout the day. He missed her sloppy kisses when she finished a glass of wine after a long day. It just wasn't good for his well-being to miss Annie so much.

On the other hand, his wife was currently focusing on finding her precious files full of random missions instead of crying to him about how much she had missed him. It was unsettling that she wasn't. Annie was known for getting misty-eyed very easily. Commercials. Movie previews. A nice comment from her brothers-in-law. All those things set her off. Especially when it came to them being apart. It wasn't unusual for Annie to get choked up when he called to tell her he'd just be a few hours late getting home. It made him wonder why she wasn't crying now.

Maybe she hadn't missed him.

Maybe that fight had been much bigger that he originally thought. Auggie listened to her let out a grunt of frustration and then storm past him to their bedroom. Again, Auggie followed. His hands fell on the bed. From the feeling of it, it was pristine, almost to the point where it seemed like she hadn't been sleeping in it.

"That bed is too big with only one person in it," she mumbled, reading Auggie's thoughts. His heart throbbed painfully at the thought of Annie losing sleep, or worse, crying herself to sleep. She must have missed him terribly, just like he had missed her. Why wasn't her face showing it? Why wasn't she admitting it?

"Did you not even miss me this past week?" He asked. Annie hopped on the bed and began digging through the covers, probably still looking for her folders. Annie. Bed. Sex.

_Focus, Auggie!_

"I missed Auggie Anderson, my husband. I did not miss the asshole who accused me of things that aren't even true."

"Well, I've been worried sick! And you didn't even take my calls!"

"I couldn't talk to you!"

"Why? Too busy planning missions?"

"No! I was too upset to even hear your voice!" Annie cried out while throwing a pillow down. Auggie froze. She was starting to cry. He felt an odd sense of relief flood through him. Annie slowly climbed off their bed.

"Auggie, I had no idea you felt that way about kids. I thought for sure you'd come and talk to me about it if you felt ready. The fact that you kept it all inside and from me after all these years we spent building our marriage...I just. It...it breaks my heart."

Auggie listened to her broken voice as she was probably wiping her tears away. She took in a deep breath, like she was going to unleash a long rant at him. But she just let it out as a huge sigh and walked purposely towards their closet.

He had been chasing her around the house for the past ten minutes. This time, he didn't follow her right away. He needed time to collect his thoughts.

Auggie didn't understand why he had yelled at her so much that night she took the pregnancy test. Of course he knew that Annie wanted kids with him. Of course he knew having children is a big decision they had to make together. But the happiness in her voice after knowing the negative test result hurled into an unexpected rage.

He knew he was in the wrong for saying some of those things. But Annie had stuff to apologize for, too. Like ignoring him for a week as he struggled to breathe right without her. Or not letting him say his thoughts without storming off. Here he was, desperate for a resolution, and she was running around like–

*CRASH*

What was she doing in there?

Auggie pulled at the end of his t-shirt and headed to their walk-in closet. He could hear Annie, throwing clothes around….packing.

"Why are you packing?" He asked in a shrill voice. Annie ignored him and continued throwing clothes from her side of the closet into a giant black bag that she had kept from her old world traveling days. It was her favorite bag to travel with. And she was packing it. Auggie stood helplessly in the doorway of their walk-in closet. Annie was bent down and digging through a pile of dresses on the floor.

Packing meant leaving. Going away for a period of time. He knew this better than anyone. And Annie was packing. She was leaving. Oh, god. She was leaving him.

"Babe, stop packing. Annie. Please stop packing. Please. Stop! Just stop it!" Auggie yelled finally, taking two steps and yanking Annie up from her bent over stance. Her hair fell in her face, and she quickly pushed it off her forehead in annoyance.

"Let go of me," she seethed with flashing eyes. For the first time since meeting her, Auggie was honestly scared that Annie would hit him. Hard. She was that angry. Wordlessly, Auggie dropped his hands from her waist and took three huge steps back. He hung his head and just listened to the sound of rattling hangers, shuffling clothes, and Annie's angry breaths in and out.

"Annie," he said gently. The noises stopped. She looked at him with a pair of leggings in one hand, and a black skirt in the other. The look on her face was positively devastating. Like she didn't want to be packing either, but she didn't know what else to do at this moment. Auggie knew what he had to do.

Beg.

"You can't leave me, baby. We need to talk about this."

"Auggie, I just need to–"

"You can't leave! We...we need to talk about this," he said again.

"No, you need to figure out when and why you became you became someone who keeps shit like that from me! I'm going home."

"You are home! This is our home. Don't run away from me!"

"I'm just getting away from the situation. It's too much for me to decipher within these walls."

"I can't be away from you any longer. I missed you! Didn't you...Jesus, Annie. Didn't you miss me?"

Annie placed the bag on the floor, but said nothing. She pulled her hair out of its elastic and shook out the tangles with her hand.

"I missed my husband," she said finally, twirling her wedding rings around on her finger. Around and around and around. She stared at him, pain and anger still evident as they twisted her pretty features.

"Well, your husband is here. Don't leave him," he begged weakly. She gasped softly, almost imperceptive to most people, but he caught it and he had just found her weakness.

Him.

"You didn't miss me sleeping next to you?" he questioned as she leaned over to start packing some more clothes. She said nothing in response. He took a step toward her.

"You didn't miss my fried egg sandwiches in the morning or my stupid phone calls in the middle of the day when I'm at the office and you're not...or the bear hugs while you cook dinner?"

Still no response. But he noticed the sounds of her packing (or shoving clothes, rather) were slowing considerably. Auggie smirked and went in for the kill.

"You didn't miss me touching you? Or kissing you? Or making love to you?" he asked tenderly as he came up behind her. She stiffened as he wrapped his arms around her and dragged his lips up her neck and to her ear.

"You didn't miss me, Annie? Or the way I make you scream my name?" he whispered throatily to her. He felt her squirm against him. Ugh, he had missed her so much. Every part of her. And right now, he wanted to show her how much he missed her. Auggie pressed firmly against her backside and let out a contented sigh at the sensation.

"Auggie, you're not helping things," she protested as she let his hands wander to her bare stomach. He couldn't remember the last time he was so turned on. A week with no physical contact except his own hand had been excruciating. Auggie dipped his head and placed open-mouthed kisses along her shoulder. He moaned against her skin.

"You can't just fix this with sex, you know."

"Watch me fix this," Auggie promised seductively. He could make this better. He felt all the blood rush to his groin. He wasn't thinking with his brain anymore. Except for ideas on how to get Annie to the bed as quickly as possible.

Annie turned in his embrace with a small smile playing on her lips. He grinned knowingly back. She was his.

"Well, I've been "fixing" myself all week and that has worked out just fine. So, why don't you "fix" yourself in here and I'll finish packing out there," she seethed angrily at him. Annie yanked out of his grasp and walked towards the closet door. Auggie was rendered speechless.

How could she possibly walk away from him now? Auggie felt anger and sexual frustration rip through him, so strongly it almost made him choke on the heavy pants that were escaping from his lips.

Two steps. Two steps was all it took to reach Annie. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her back, whipped the closet door shut, and then, with a quick snap of his arm, slammed her roughly against the closed door.

She let out a startled cry. Auggie quickly assessed her posture. Surprised, but not frightened. And angry. Good.

"Fixing yourself was good enough, huh?" Auggie asked her in a low voice. He grabbed one of her wrists, then the other and lifted them up by her head. She showed no resistance, but still refused to meet his eye.

"My husband wasn't here," she replied bitterly. Auggie pressed against her, making sure she felt that he was here now.

"Your husband is here now. Do you want me to fix it?"

"No."

"So, you didn't miss me?"

"No."

Now he knew she was just being difficult. Probably to get a rise out of him. Well, it was definitely working.

"You didn't miss this?" Auggie demanded as he rolled his hips against hers. Another gasp fell from Annie's lips. Auggie grinned evilly.

"You didn't miss my hands?"

When she didn't answer yet again, Auggie let go of her wrists that he was still holding up by her head and immediately reached down to lift her up a bit. He pressed against her forcefully. That brought a loud moan from Annie. Music to his ears.

"You didn't miss my kiss?" he asked before crushing his lips to hers. She was waiting for him. Her hands wove into his hair and she pulled. Hard. It didn't hurt, it just added to the pleasure from their lips and tongues tangling together in a heated kiss. He sunk his teeth into her lower lip. She pulled harder at his hair and he moaned against her mouth.

"Tell me you missed me," Auggie demanded, his lips barely brushing against hers. She leaned in for another kiss, but he pulled back. Annie locked her eyes on his. She was probably still pissed. But also aroused. Surely she couldn't keep fighting him.

"Tell me."

"No, I'm just fine by myself," she said to him steadily. Auggie lifted her up higher with a growl and slammed her against the door again. Her hands, still in his hair, dug further into his scalp and tugged even harder.

"You're a jerk," she half hissed, half moaned. Auggie lifted his t-shirt over his head and threw it behind him before gripping the bottom of her sports bra.

"Just say you missed me, Annie, and I'll give you what you want."

Annie was practically panting now. Auggie reached his hands clumsily under her sports bra and she gasped before pressing against Auggie forcefully.

Auggie put all his weight against Annie so he could still hold her up while he yanked his belt off. He tore it off with a snap and tossed it on the floor. Annie reached up and pulled at his hair again, harder. The pain felt good. Auggie kissed her, tickling her lips with his tongue.

"Tell me you missed me," he demanded again, his lips millimeters from hers.

"Tell me." He gave another forceful shove of his hips against hers.

"Auggie," she panted. Oh god. He had missed the way she said his name like that. Almost a purr.

"Does it feel like this when you're on your own? Answer me."

Annie felt amazing. He had only been away for a week, but it was like he hadn't touched her in months. Her skin was soft and supple against his bare chest, and her legs, strong and muscular, wrapped tightly around his waist. He ran his hands up her thighs and slipped them under her shorts.

"Oh. Babe, I've missed you so much," he said, his voice muffled against her shoulder.

"I'm still pissed at you," she insisted as she raked her fingernails up and down his chest. He grabbed her hands and wrapped her arms around his waist so he could lean up against her.

"Well, I'm still pissed at you. But I missed you. And if you'd just admit that you missed me too..."

"Did you think about me?"

"Yes. Every day."

"Did you think about me naked?"

"Every hour. And you know what I thought when I fantasized about you?" he asked. Annie just cocked an eyebrow at him, trying to appear uninterested, but her knees were quivering so Auggie knew it was an act. He was back in control.

"I thought about the time we had sex in the closet."

"We've never done it in here."

"Oh, that's right. Let's fix that."

* * *

><p>What felt like hours later, Auggie finally woke up from his sex coma to find Annie tracing patterns on his bare chest with her fingertips. He hummed happily at the feeling, but stopped when felt the worried feelings rolling off of her almost in waves. He grabbed her hands and dragged her up so she was face to face with him. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her mouth. All the kisses they shared during their passionate love making were hard and aggressive. The kiss he shared with her now was soft, lingering, and hopefully, a showcase of how much he loved her and how much he had missed holding her.<p>

Annie returned the kiss happily. Her warm lips moving over his was enough to get him going again, so he pulled away before he rolled over and pinned her down. They needed to talk. So, reluctantly, he stopped and faced her, focused.

"Annie–"

"Why didn't you tell me you wanted kids?" She interrupted softly before he could get another word out. Auggie bit his lip and closed his eyes. He couldn't even answer that question.

"I guess, I didn't even know I wanted them so bad right now. I still don't know if I do. It's just that, with Katie being pregnant again and seeing how happy Aaron is, it just...I don't know, I guess it was something to long for during the day when I'm away from you. Usually I just long for you, but lately..."

"Do you want me to cut back on hours? Because I can, Auggie. Just say the word. Work is important right now, but nothing is as important as you. You believe that right?"

"Yeah, of course I do. Don't cut back on hours. You love being there for everything, I know that. Don't take anything I said to heart, I was an idiot for flying off the handle."

"Yeah, but Auggie, those were real feelings that came forward. Do you want to have a baby right now?"

Auggie pondered her question. She had owned his soul from pretty much the moment they met, he felt. When he had won her heart, when he made love to her for the first time, when he stood in front of his family and friends and said "I do", he hoped that she allowed him her soul as well. Her body. Her heart. They were one. That had always been enough for Auggie, knowing that he was connected with another person on that level.

Was it enough anymore? Probably. Yes, her love would always be enough for him. But the idea of creating another extension of his love for her, a baby...another _being_ together...it stirred up a want within him that he didn't know existed. Like another piece of his heart was just placed in his chest in that moment, but it didn't feel right just yet. It wasn't fully functional.

And it wouldn't be until he knew that the love he had for his wife was put into a whole new and amazing way. A baby.

"I think I know your answer just by the smile on your face," Annie said quietly.

"You want to try?" he whispered, voice heavy with sleep and emotion. Annie's eyes welled up. She nodded.

"I've actually been thinking about it over the last week, since you've been gone. Being without you, even though I didn't show it when you first came home, was terrible. Painful, even. And all I could think about was how much I loved you, how much I missed you...and I want to take that next step with you. Auggie, I love you. And I want nothing more than to start a family with you. I think we're ready."

"But...what about our promotions and work and–"

"Auggie, I don't think our schedules will ever calm down. It's just not who we are. But maybe that's what we need to slow us down. Another life. A new part of our family. I'm sure we can still manage to enjoy our professional lives, even if our kid cuts everything in half. I want to make that sacrifice. I want to do this. With you."

"You want to do it. Sex? Right now? Again?"

"Auggie Anderson, moment killer, ladies and gentleman," she remarked with an eye roll. Auggie laughed and kissed her. When he pulled away, he laughed again. He was insanely happy.

"So, we're going to try? Really?"

"I'm sure we have more to talk about concerning schedules and everything but...yes. Let's try. Let's have a baby."

"A baby."

"A baby," she repeated with awe.

"A little Anderson. A little me and you."

"…we're going to have a baby."

"Yes. The most beautiful, talented, freaking awesome baby ever," Auggie said with authority. Annie laughed and craned her neck to kiss him. He held her face tightly and kissed her back, feeling the new piece of his heart start to swell with excitement. He already knew that he would never love anything as much as he loved his child, his wife, and the person he was when they were with him.

"Keep kissing me like that and we could probably try right now," she murmured against his lips. Auggie chuckled and starting running his hands down her body. His want for her never seemed to run out, even when they had just worn themselves out a little bit ago.

"Did you stop taking your pill?" he asked as he trailed his fingers down her neck and chest. He softly pressed a kiss behind her earlobe as he spoke and she pushed against him forcefully.

"I can," she responded as her own hands started to wander around his skin. They had a lot of time to make up for. He wouldn't mind staying in the closet all night. And all of tomorrow. And maybe the day after that. He felt Annie start to press kisses to his chest. He inhaled sharply, amazed at how new and intense her movements felt. Auggie wasn't sure if it was the time away or that fact that they had decided to get pregnant, but as Auggie rolled them over so he could really make love to his wife, he could barely stop from shaking with anticipation.

And four months and many attempts later, Annie ran out of the bathroom triumphantly holding a positive pregnancy test. The scene Auggie had longed for in the guest bathroom was suddenly happening before him.

Annie leapt into his arms with excitement, and Auggie felt tears start to form in his eyes. They ran around the house singing a made up pregnancy song out of sheer giddiness over the news, and Rorschach barked and chased them around. After the follow-up doctor's appointment, they got on their cell phones and called their family during the drive home, laughing joyously and choking on happy tears as they relayed the new development. It was a mess of speakerphone conversations and being passed on to his brothers, to her sister, to parents and friends. And Auggie listened to his wife the entire time she told someone new that they were having a baby. She seemed to be lit up from the inside out. The idea of it all made him breathless with admiration and excitement.

And they did make love that night in celebration. And afterwards, as they were tangled up in the sheets and blankets, Auggie rested his hand on her stomach, which was still heaving from the intensity of everything. The new piece of his heart came alive, and his heartbeat thundered uncontrollably as he stretched his fingers across the soft skin of her stomach. Then, he leaned down and softly kissed the spot right below her belly button.

"Goodnight, little one," he breathed out before pressing his lips against the skin there again. He felt Annie giggle.

"Little one?" she asked. He rested his cheek on her stomach and smiled sleepily at his wife. His soon to be mother of his child. Oh...happiness like this should almost be considered lethal. He thought he was going to stop breathing. He had no idea his heart could feel so huge in his chest. His beaming wife, now carrying their child, was something he knew he would only love more as the months went on. Auggie knew, in that instant, that no other person on this earth could be as happy as he was then.

"A little one…a little Annie. Or a little Auggie," he replied simply with another smile. Annie ran her hands through his hair, making sure to push all his hair off his forehead. She sighed happily and closed her eyes, content to just feel Auggie's lips move across her abdomen while she fell asleep.

"My little one," Auggie mumbled against her stomach. He started to hum a tune. "I'll look after you."

And Auggie would. Just like he had promised Annie all those years ago that he would always look after her, he would be there for his baby. Their baby. He would always look after the source of his new heartbeat.

Always.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Jeez, I sure can write a lot when given enough time, right? Hehehe. This entire chapter is a result of me working with bits of pieces here and there between school and work (lots and lots of work). From what I gathered (not including this A/N), this chapter is basically 8,000 words - or about eighty percent of the rest of the story (before this chapter was posted, it was about 10,000 words, give or take).****  
><strong>

**I was really tempted to split this chapter into two parts because it's so damn long, but I didn't want to break up the continuity of it all...so I just made it a super-chapter, hahaha. And the way I see it, the line breaks provide good stopping points if you need a break.  
><strong>

**By the way, even though this is in third person, I still had a difficult time not writing Auggie as someone who can see, so if you catch any mistakes, let me know? I've read this thing easily about five or six times, but I always manage to miss something...hahaha. However, there are "glimpses" so to speak, for the reader to get clues as to what Annie is doing - hopefully that doesn't confuse some people.  
><strong>

**Anyways, let me know what you all think - constructive criticism is welcome! Or if you want to fawn over my awesomeness, that's cool too, hehehe. Thanks so much for taking the time to read and/or review!  
><strong>

**-Audrey  
><strong>

**P.S. If anyone wants to take a guess at the song I referred to somewhere in the chapter, it'll be well worth your time, I promise! Basically whoever guesses correctly first gets a special sneak peek at the next chapter...that is, when it gets written, haha. ;)  
><strong>


	7. Pray

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Seven: Pray**

Annie paced back and forwards, silently wishing, yearning that everything was okay. She trusted her brother-in-law, but Auggie, when excited, could be tough to control.

And boy, had he been excited this morning when he had rolled over her and whispered that he was coming back with a surprise and not to wait up. Annie had mumbled something incoherent and went back to bed, snuggling against Auggie's pillow and embracing his scent.

She sighed again, tapped her fingers against the mahogany of the coffee table and plopped down on the couch. As comfy as the couches were, Annie couldn't shake her worried feeling. She was practically praying now that he'd be back soon with whatever surprise he'd devised.

A glance at the clock as it chimed cheerfully reminded Annie that it was already four o'clock – and if she remembered correctly, Auggie had left at eight in the morning. She frowned, looked at her cell phone, and considered calling him.

But she didn't want to nag. She wasn't ready to become _that_ person yet, so early on…Annie thoughtfully bit her lip and stood up, clutching her phone tightly in her hand. She was reaching her breaking point, worry probably pouring out from her in waves.

Suddenly, she heard a car…and a truck roll up their driveway.

_What in the world?_

Opening the curtain, Annie stared into the descending darkness and saw Auggie standing proudly next to the truck with a huge smile on his face.

_What was he up to?_

Annie asked herself this as she continued staring at him. That's when three more figures appeared, two from the truck and the other from the car that Auggie surely came from. She wanted to keep watching, but a knock on the door pulled her away.

Opening the door, she was surprised to see Alex, Auggie's youngest sibling at the door with a wide smile and a slightly guilty look in her eyes. Annie was not fooled, but for the time being all she wanted to do was greet.

"Alex!" Annie said happily, embracing the 27 year-old. "What are you doing in the States, let alone on my porch?"

"I'm here because Attis has a big mouth and told me that you two shacked up and bought a house…all things considering, I figured now of all times would be perfect for jumping over the pond."

"Last I saw you…was at our wedding…" she said with a slight frown, recalling that very little contact had been made.

"…I know, in March…I swear I didn't mean to let time go by this fast, but with a career…well, I'm sure you know how easy it is to let time get past you, Miss Smithsonian." Alex smiled and embraced Annie once more. "I missed you, and I missed Aug, and that's all that should matter. And considering it's your first Christmas as a married couple – well, I couldn't resist."

Annie smiled at her sister-in-law, and decided that all was well – she was forgiven, although it hadn't taken much convincing. "I know…it's fine…well, I'm a little anxious," she admitted. "It _is_ our first Christmas and we've barely been together 9 months as husband and wfe, so…yeah…" Annie shrugged, trying to ease the restless feeling that had been creeping up on her lately due to the holidays.

"I do, however, have some good news – you're not in charge of holding the Anderson Smorgasbord this year…that lovely tradition fell unto Aaron and Katie – that's why the entire gang is here _and_ with a surprise for you!"

"…Which would explain why my husband was gone over half the day…no wonder." Annie laughed. "Auggie asked me if it was okay if family could stay with us…we're talking about you and…who else?"

"Just me. Aaron has two guest rooms – so family will be staying there and I'll be here. I'm an excellent driver…" she suggested with a smile. "I mean, Katie and Aaron live in Annapolis, but that's only a 45 minute drive – and I'm positive you two will go to the Smorgasbord?" Alex smiled, her grin reminding her of Auggie's – they were definitely related, with the same warm smiles and brown hair.

"Of course we'll be there. Is the entire family going this year, unlike previous years…?" Annie asked out of curiosity as outside, the boys seemed determined to destroy the lawn. Auggie could be heard, commanding his brothers to 'be careful with Annie's surprise'.

"Unfortunately no," she said, clicking her tongue against her teeth. "My always lovely brother Andrew won't be in attendance. Something about work. But my theory is a girl who means a lot, because there's no reason to be swamped during Christmas, right?" Alex didn't wait for Annie to agree before continuing. "Anyways, it looks like the boys are already to bring this in, so close your eyes…" Alex said, standing behind her and cupping her hands over Annie's eyes.

"Sorry, but Auggie was adamant on not letting you peek. I was deemed the bait and distract…" she laughed and made Annie back up.

In all honesty, Annie could only pray that her brother-in-laws weren't going to destroy their home. Though she was sure that Auggie wouldn't let them, something told her that his plans involved some form of chaos.

Suddenly, she heard Auggie's voice, instructing them to push forward. _What the hell?_

"Alex, we need your help here…" another male's voice said, and Annie tried to place it…it had to be Anthony – Alex had once told her that Anthony was the only one who was "allowed" to boss her around.

"Well, now's as good a time as any," Auggie said with a sigh. "Annie, here's your surprise!"

She opened her eyes and was shocked. A giant tree was wedged, practically stuck in their doorway. She wasn't entirely sure whether to be happy and embrace Auggie (who was inside the house at this point) or to sigh and wonder how they were going to get the tree inside…

She chose the former and hugged Auggie, deciding that despite the mess and the trouble, _he_ had gone to choose them a tree. Pressing a kiss to his lips, she leaned into his ear and whispered "thank you. You didn't have to."

"I wanted to," he insisted. "Now tell me what's going on…"

"Well, it looks like we're having trouble getting it inside the house…" Annie said with a chuckle, staring at their predicament. At the sound of Annie's voice however, she caused all three of the Anderson brothers to speak at once. She sighed and couldn't even decipher who was who.

"Hey Annie!"

"Annie! How are you?"

"Pretty lady, we're trying to fix this, promise!"

"Annie says hi back, Aaron," Auggie answered for her, noting her apparent confusion. "She's doing perfectly fine, Anthony, despite there being a tree wedged in our front door…and Attis…please stop trying to steal my wife away."

Annie laughed at the situation. She suddenly realized how much she missed the Andersons, and how much she missed Dani…but due to the Smorgasbord being so close, Dani had been promised next Christmas as hers.

She leaned into Auggie's lean body and embraced him – he couldn't replace Dani or her family, but she was happy.

She continued watching as they tried to gently ease the tree inside the house, and at this point, she was starting to worry.

"Listen, Aug, we have a bit of a problem here…" Anthony started when Aaron interrupted.

"A bit is an understatement. Kate is going to kill me for being late…we're cooking dinner for her parents tonight," he explained, his voice slightly muffled by the green obstruction halfway in the foyer and halfway on the porch.

Alex could be heard laughing from the inside as she tugged on the tree's stronger branches. "_We're_ cooking dinner?" She asked in a mocking tone.

"Okay, fine, she's cooking dinner…but still. Someone has to be there to supervise."

"Guys! Seriously!" That was the angry tone Attis used when he meant business. Clearly he'd yet to build a temperance to the cold considering he was eager to get inside from his whining and complaining.

"That tree is…huge, boys…and Alex. I don't think it'll fit." Annie mused. She heard some rustling as the boys started to push.

Auggie bowed his head down and whispered into her ear. "It'll be fine. They have enough muscle."

After some grunting, cursing, and Alex giving up halfway through, the boys managed to push the tree through the front door and into the living room. At the sounds of a mission accomplished, Auggie planted a kiss on Annie.

"I was getting worried," she murmured against his lips. She could feel his smile against her own.

"Of course you were. Sorry we took so long. It was Aaron's fault."

Aaron stopped straightening the tree out and glared at Auggie. "Dude…I picked out a tree in ten minutes. But you wanted the _perfect_ tree, and then Alex got lost…"

"I did not get lost! I just…got turned around for a second." She refuted, a smile playing on her lips.

"No worries, we'll just get you a whistle next time," Attis suggested with a sly smile. He leaned in and hugged Annie, pressing a kiss on her cheek. "Lovely to see you, as always."

"Stop trying to steal my wife…" Auggie retorted, receiving a "manly" hug from Attis in return.

With more hugs and kisses from the rest of the Andersons, Annie realized how at home she felt with them.

"We're out of here," Aaron said as he started heading for the door – they had done their job right, considering the tree was now standing beautifully in their living room against one of the bay windows. "I'll see you two at the Smorgasbord at our house, and then dinner one week from Friday?"

"Most definitely," Annie answered. "Aug has a meeting that afternoon, but I'll be here to start dinner and he should be home by then."

"Excellent. Come on guys, let's get you two settled…and Alex, I'll meet you on…the 15th?" Aaron said as he continued walking for the front door.

"Sounds good, I'll see you next Wednesday!" She said as she waved with Auggie and Annie. She figured now was as good as time as any to ambush the 27 year old what she meant by the Wednesday.

"So…next Wednesday?" Annie asked as Auggie figured now would be time for him to exit.

"Yep. I'm not going to tell why or for what however. Some secrets are better kept secrets," she winked at Annie as she laughed at her sister-in-law.

In reality, the "in-law" was just a formality. Since Alex had first met Annie, she had felt a connection to her – a sisterly bond. And although she was aware that Annie had an older sister, Alex felt that it was still nice to have an "older sister". Considering how Annie gladly took her in and (she assumed) would do anything for her, Alex realized how much she had always wanted a sister in her life. Growing up with five older brothers hadn't been easy on her, but she had trudged through, and was now closer to all of them than ever.

"Well, all in due time, I suppose," Annie said with a shrug as she stared at her tree. "It really is beautiful, Alex…thanks for helping Aug choose it."

"I keep forgetting how intuitive you are to a scary level," Alex laughed. "It was nothing…I mean, the rest of my brothers were busy helping Aaron with his own tree hunt, so I figured it'd be just as well to help Aug. He may be my older brother, but maybe it's time to help him since he's done so much for me." Annie nodded, agreeing with Alex.

"And in exchange for that…I'll keep your secret," Annie winked at Alex, a knowing smile on her face.

"Annie…oh jeez, how did you know?" Alex said, a blush creeping up on her features.

"Intuition is my best friend. Plus, I know the classic symptoms – easy-going, happier…what's his name?"

"Noah. He just…he makes me so happy." Alex admitted as the pair worked on sprucing up the tree. It wasn't quite ready for decorating, but soon. "We've been seeing each other a little over seven months, and I know that I should be ready to have him meet my lovely yet chaotic family…but…" Alex stopped, looking down. "I'm scared. He just seems like…_the one_…and what if my stupid brothers scare him off?"

"Well, boys do tend to be a little bit stupid at times, especially considering you're the baby of the family – they'll be reluctant in letting you go. But if this Noah makes you as happy as you say, I suppose they'll leave you to your own devices." With a smile, Alex's fears subsided. "Besides, Noah should be able to understand where your brothers stand. I mean, he's basically corrupting you," Annie said with a laugh.

"Who's corrupting whom?" Auggie said, standing from the doorway of the living room. He smiled, as if he almost _knew_, but Annie was always vigilant – he'd only heard the very last part of the sentence.

"Oh nothing, honey," Annie reassured, walking over to him and kissing him quickly, hoping to distract him. It did the trick as he let the subject go and smiled.

"Well, dinner is ready, my lovely ladies…" Auggie ushered them over to the kitchen, knowing that Annie would give up her information with time.

* * *

><p>"So, what's the bastard's name?" Auggie said as he turned over the bed while Annie was in the bathroom undressing with the door widely open.<p>

"I _knew _you'd been eavesdropping…which, by the way, is very rude." Annie answered instead.

"Annie," he half-whined, half-pleaded. "Tell me, _please_?"

"Hmmm," Annie was heard humming as the faucet was turned off. "Nope. Either way, she didn't give me a full name, so you can't go digging around."

Auggie scoffed and frowned. "You'd think I'd go so low as to use the databases to find out about the man in Alex's life?"

Without hesitation, she answered easily. "Yep. And then you'd gleefully share that information with your brothers. Trust me – Alex has her reasons. I'm sure she'll introduce mystery man to you eventually. In fact, you'll probably be the first to meet him."

Auggie grumbled something about 'conniving women keeping secrets', but Annie managed to distract him as she slipped into bed and pressed a few kisses on his collarbone. "Fine, I'll let it go." He agreed as Annie continued her ministrations.

"Good." She mumbled, slipping her hands down his chest and abdomen.

_Everything is so perfect_. She thought, but that might have been her undoing.

This Christmas wasn't perfect – Alex's surprise gifts had been ruined (Annie had walked in on her wrapping them a mere five days before Christmas), Rorschach had managed to knock down their recently decorated tree, and Auggie had nearly burnt the house down trying to make breakfast the day after Christmas, but nonetheless, Annie knew that their Christmas wasn't _meant_ to be perfect.

They weren't the perfect couple, and they would fight (and make up), things would go wrong, and if anything, Annie had learned her lesson in their relationship early on. She couldn't expect perfection because she was imperfect, but it was that which bound the two together.

Either way, this Christmas was one for the books.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the long wait, lovelies! I am a very busy bee, so this chapter was a result of writing during work and study breaks. Trying to be productive and all, right? Hehe.**

**Not much to say, except that this might not be the only Christmas chapter (for now, it is), so stay tuned, perhaps? Haha. Muses are so cryptic and picky as to what they want to help write. **

**And speaking of the muse, how about you motivate said muse and help get a chapter out (potentially) faster? :D You know what to do!**

**-Audrey**

**P.S. For those of you that *don't* know what to do, haha, it's a not-so-subtle hint to review and feel free to criticize! They're much appreciated! ;)**


	8. Persevere

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Eight: Persevere**

"But what if they don't like me?" Annie questioned, insecure in her own skin, despite having chosen her best "dress to impress" clothes.

"Nonsense." He assured, wrapping his arm tighter around her and pressing a chaste kiss to her temple. "You'll do fine. Luckily I convinced Anthony to come alone – so it won't be quite so overwhelming."

"Okay, okay, I think I can do this," she said, with one tug at the gray dress that fell mid-thigh. Maybe she had dressed too provocative? No. Self-confidence, she assured herself. She had chosen this outfit days ago, positive it would impress. Although the gray dress worn alone could've possibly been interpreted as provocative, she had paired it with a pair of her dressy tights and brightly colored pumps – she needed a little pop of color to remind herself why she was here.

She _deserved_ to be here.

"Good," Auggie replied, a smile gracing his features. "Now, let's go inside. He's probably late, either way – he always manages to be late even though he's supposed to 'responsible'." She nodded, but even though she was trying so hard to appear confident, she was sure that Auggie had caught her hand shaking as she lifted her glass of water to her lips.

A reservation for three. And a reservation of what _could _be the rest of their lives. That's why this was so important for Annie. The night of their first kiss she had felt the ability to love someone once more, and sure enough, seven months into their relationship, she could feel the emotion tugging at her heart, edging her to just tell him.

But she couldn't. Not just yet. Although it would've made a _lovely_ birthday present of sorts, Annie knew that unless she could sense him on the horizon of saying it, she would continue being terrified of her own feelings, shoving them down into a hole that was already threatening to burst.

The only thing Annie could truly want at this moment was to hold her own enough to impress Auggie's brother. Part of her was really glad – Auggie's siblings were coming from various parts of the nation (and other countries) to celebrate his birthday, but another part was terribly frightened. What if they didn't like her? Even though Auggie had always complained about his 'four older mean ass brothers', Annie was quite aware that they were still his family and that he cared what their opinion was of women.

She didn't want to cause a rift in the Anderson family, just in case they didn't like her – Auggie had always said he'd choose her, but she knew that she wouldn't let him. She simply couldn't let him choose her over family.

With a sigh, she tried to calm her nerves. Suddenly, a man that looked a little bit like Auggie approached the table. Annie stood along with Auggie and watched as the two brothers embraced.

"Aug, it's been too long," his brother said, smiling as he patted Auggie's back.

"It has. I want you to meet someone." He said as they stopped hugging. "Anthony, this Annie, my girlfriend. And Annie, this is my oldest brother – Anthony."

Annie smiled at Anthony and shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Annie." Anthony said, her name smooth and a warm smile shining. This had to be a good sign.

Small talk was made throughout their meal, however, when Auggie decided he'd had one glass of wine too many, he stood to find himself a bathroom. Both Anthony and Annie had suggested going along with him, but he had shrugged and said, "I may be blind, but I'm not completely incapacitated."

Suddenly, Annie realized that she was alone with Anthony. She paled at the idea of _that_. And sure enough, as soon as Auggie was out of hearing distance, Anthony cleared his throat. Annie _knew_ what was coming. The fifth degree.

"So, Annie…what are your intentions with my brother?" He asked, a look in his eyes that Annie couldn't quite place.

"Umm…intentions?" She took a sip of her water, her hand back to shaking. However, when she thought about the ridiculousness of the situation, she decided enough was enough. She dealt with world problems and spying on an everyday basis – she could handle Auggie's brother.

"Yes. I mean, whenever I get on the phone with him, he seems content chatting about you at least half the time if not more. Clearly you have him in your web…" Anthony said, pausing to let her answer.

"First of all, I don't have any intentions besides being happy with your brother. And as much as you'd like to think that I have a goal behind having a relationship with Auggie or that I'm casting some sort of web, as you so clearly put it, I'm not. I love–" Annie stopped abruptly, realizing her gaff. "Umm…" She was shocked that she had told Anthony this. She didn't even know how to begin explaining herself.

"You love him?" His features softened. "Well, I guess I was wrong about you. And Annie?" He said, making her look at him. "If you really feel the way you do, you should tell him." He smiled on that last statement, Annie realizing that Anthony was an ally – certainly not an enemy or purely neutral.

"Tell me what?" Auggie asked, approaching the table and sitting down.

"That maybe we should skip dessert? Coffee will suffice," Annie said, a knowing smile gracing Anthony's face as he winked at Annie.

"All right, sounds good to me," Auggie agreed as he reached over, searching for Annie's hand. She found his, and couldn't help but smile as he linked their fingers together.

Looking back, Annie realized the look she had seen in Anthony's eyes – concern. He only cared about his little brother and clearly wanted the best for him. And she was glad that he had approved.

It was all she could ever ask for.

* * *

><p>Meeting Aaron was a complete accident. Annie had spent the day at home on her day off, completing most of the chores at her own leisurely place.<p>

In some aspects, Annie considered herself damn lucky that Auggie was so organized – her own apartment had been a disaster once upon a time, but now that they lived together, keeping "her half" of everything clean was easy.

It's not that she was necessarily unorganized or naturally messy – she just tended to have a lot on her mind and a lot of work to always be doing – playing housewife usually fell unto Auggie, but she had felt right taking responsibility this time. Plus it meant she could get all the spots that he missed (which were far and few in-between – the man knew his surroundings even if he couldn't see them).

She had intentionally worn her worst in preparation for her cleaning day – a dark blue button-down from Auggie that she'd accidentally spilt bleach on.

If Annie were to be honest, the bleach incident hadn't been as accidental as she had let on. She had asked Auggie if she could keep the shirt, but he was reluctant to part with it, considering one it one of his "greatest hits" – it was comfy _and_ it looked good.

So she had taken matters into her own hands. She had been trying to devise a plan to snatch away the shirt while doing laundry – "the dryer ate it" and "it must've slipped by into the whites" were her top two, when a few drops of bleach had made its way onto the shirt.

Truly, Annie had exaggerated when explaining to Aug why he couldn't wear his favorite button-down, but he had quickly moved on to another button-down, now deemed his favorite, but not quite as comfortable.

The phone rang and Annie answered cheerfully, knowing who was on the other line.

"Yes, honey?" She couldn't help the smile on her face as she continued folding laundry, fresh and warm from the dryer.

"Hi babe, I just wanted to hear your beautiful voice." The smooth baritone practically seduced her even through technology.

"Well, it's lovely to hear from you, but shouldn't you be concentrating what's on hand, like, say, your job?" She teased, smiling at the fact that she could practically _feel_ his own smile in return.

"I _should_, but even I've got to eat lunch at some point. I wish I had enough to time to head home…" Aug said, clearly distracted by something.

"But you can't, I know," Annie finished. _Home_. With Auggie, that was _exactly_ what this was.

"Anyways, I better go. Sorry honey. I'll see you soon." He responded.

"Bye. I…umm, I'll see you at home." Annie said, the words _'I love you_' almost slipping out. It had been a few weeks since she had met Anthony – no other brother had yet to appear…part of Annie was secretly glad, but another part was afraid that she'd have to meet them all at once.

Either way, she had to get back to the task at hand, nervous or not. Annie worked on polishing the dark mahogany furniture in their living room – the scent of lemons overwhelming her senses in the good way. It left the end tables and the coffee table smelling and looking good.

It was then and there that a strong knock at the door left Annie somewhat suspicious. Paranoia was common among agents, with varying degrees. She wasn't expecting anyone…but she didn't feel any immediate danger either. Had someone wanted to hurt her, they could've just broken in through a window.

With a sigh, Annie could only hope it was the mailman needing a signature or some delivery company leaving packages – she looked disastrous, and as she glanced at the mirror in the hallway, it was confirmed. Her hair was in a blonde, tangled disarray and her cleaning outfit left much to be desired.

The denim shorts she was wearing were from high school – the years had not been kind to them. They were too worn and tattered, but they were perfect for reminiscing and cleaning.

She sighed and decided to confront the lovely stranger who'd decided to descend on her at her worst. Annie opened the door and gasped, resisting the temptation to slam the door in the stranger's face. _Why now?!_ She thought in a panic.

Standing there was a man with short black hair, and a nose that resembled Auggie's. His smile seemed to disappear, but nonetheless, it was a little bit smugger than Auggie's and his green eyes were alarmed. Clearly, this _had_ to be a relative of Auggie's and considering the only relatives that they were expecting were his siblings…_oh dear_.

The stranger cleared his throat. "Uh…" He paused, his eyes looked absolutely shocked even though the smile was still smug. "Is Auggie here? He said that he'd be here Monday…" He cleared his throat again and placed a hand on the back of his neck.

"He isn't. Today's Tuesday." Annie declared, suddenly realizing she was under the scrutiny of one of his brothers, a brother that she didn't even know the name to.

"Oh." He said, and suddenly, a bright red blush overtook his features. "I'm sorry. I'm Aaron." The smug smile was gone and now in its place was a genuinely friendly one. He outstretched his hand, and Annie shook it.

"I'm Annie. And you shouldn't apologize. It should be me doing that. Please, come in…" Annie wanted to cringe at her own suggestion, but figured that in itself was a terrible idea.

"All right. Thanks so much, Miss Annie." He walked inside, and she nodded towards the seats in the living room. Immediately he looked back at her with a little bit of doubt – he looked like he was about to sit, yet he didn't.

With a sigh, Annie deicded she might as well be courteous to her newfound visitor.

"Would you like something to drink? Coffee, tea, water?" Annie paused. "Anything, really…if you'd like…"

"As much as I'd like to, Annie," Aaron smiled. "But I was here to see Auggie. I appreciate you letting me inside, but I definitely do not want to intrude upon your cleaning."

"You're not intruding," she tried insisting but Aaron instead flashed another smile.

"I'll promise you this – I'll stay when Auggie is here. I need to talk to him and it'd be an absolute pleasure getting to know you better – you are, after all, the girl who loves Auggie."

Annie inwardly groaned. "How many people know?" She asked out of genuine curiosity.

"Not many, I swear. Just me, Anthony of course, and Andrew. Auggie doesn't have the slightest clue and he won't, I swear, until you choose to tell him."

With that, Annie realized she could trust Aaron – he had earned it by keeping her secret.

Little did she know, as she said her goodbyes to Aaron, that he would eventually become her best and go-to confidante.

And even now, as she watched and waved at Aaron as he got in his car and left, the warm feeling of trust didn't dissipate. It'd been a while since she'd experienced this feeling (at least, not since Auggie) but she definitely knew he would uphold his promise and for that, she could only be thankful.

* * *

><p>The first thing Annie noticed about Andrew was the unbelievable jitteriness he carried himself with.<p>

If his fingers weren't tapping on the coffee table, his leg couldn't stop shaking. He fidgeted – a lot. Touched the edge of his wine glass too frequently and if Annie was being completely honest without repercussions, she'd admit it scared her a little bit. Or at the very least, put her on edge and made her more nervous than usual about meeting an Anderson sibling.

Andrew had a gentle face – his features radically different than the rest of the Andersons (or at least the ones she'd met). However, something in Andrew's life evidently was causing him enough stress to project it in such a matter.

"Hey Drew?" Auggie asked, interrupting Annie's thoughts. Clearly he too was concerned with Andrew's jitteriness.

"Hmm?" He responded, all his little ministrations suddenly stopping.

"What's on your mind?" Aug asked, apprehension etched on his face. "I've never known you to be quite so nervous. Obviously something's worrying you."

"Just work, mostly," Andrew admitted his face open and honest. "I don't mean to disrespect your home or Annie. It's just everything…"

"If you don't mind me asking" Annie was curious, "What do you do?"

"I'm a trauma surgeon in New York – before leaving to visit, I had a major surgery…I can't go into too many details, obviously, but it didn't look good…In fact, I'm expecting the call any second now."

"Oh," Annie responded, knowing she couldn't say something silly like 'I understand' when she really couldn't and it could very easily give something away. "Well, maybe it's best not to think so much about it," she suggested.

Andrew's face relaxed and he smiled knowingly. "You're right worrying will change nothing. So tell me more about you, Annie."

As small talk ensued, Annie was glad that she managed to somehow comfort a near perfect stranger. She was used to being this figure for Auggie, but not for other people. It was a nice, albeit much needed chance for Annie – especially considering he was one of the three that knew her secret.

Eventually they too would be trusted with one another's secrets. That simple trust was all Annie could ever ask for.

* * *

><p>"I have to warn you…" Auggie said in his cautious tone<p>

"Warn me about what?" Annie asked as she suppressed a groan. The cautious tone was never a sign of anything good.

"This gala thing we're attending for the Smithsonian? Well, it might be for show, but I may have just heard the most obnoxious laugh, which so happens to belong to my brother–"

"Which one? You have four of them – I only know three out of four…please tell me it's someone I've met…"

Auggie's slight pause of hesitation was all Annie needed to know before he continued. "Erm, well about that….this would be my brother, Attis. He works as a curator for the Museum of Modern Art…"

"MOMA? Your brother works for MOMA and you never thought to remotely mention it to me?" Her tone was incredulous.

"I thought I could introduce you to him on more favorable terms. Usually the director of the museum would be here, but knowing Attis, he probably schmoozed his way here."

"You're lucky I know my art then. Hopefully he won't throw any curveballs."

Another pause. Annie was starting to realize she'd be getting a lot of them tonight. "Well, that's the thing…as much as I'd love to deceive and lie to my wonderful girlfriend, I can't. Attis is fiercely protective of me – almost as much as he adores to charm anyone and everyone…including some of my past girlfriends."

"What do you mean?" Annie was curious as she leaned into Auggie's lean frame and he held her in a show of protection and possessiveness. He could practically feel the gazes of those jealous onlookers. _That's right, she's all mine_, he thought for a fleeting second until he realized he'd yet to answer Annie's question.

"Unfortunately my brother has _quite_ the reputation for being a heartbreaker–"

Annie interrupted with a small scoff as she lifted her champagne flute and took a small sip. She leaned up to his ear, and whispered, "Even more than you, CIA lecher extraordinaire?" She chuckled, just to let him know she was joking. Besides, he was _her_ lecher now, and she enjoyed every second of it.

Auggie sighed. "Yes, even more than I. More than any Anderson actually. He'd also been known as a notorious girlfriend thief."

"Wait," Annie made him stop and she put her hand on his chest. "He's actually stolen girls from his own flesh and blood? Harsh."

"It's not his fault, really – women swoon over him quite naturally. They leave the other Andersons for him. He's always been fiercely loyal – at least to us, as far as I know. He's never gone out with one of my ex-girlfriends when they've recently left me for him. I think he did have a long relationship with one of my exes though…" Annie raised an eyebrow at his musings. "Well, as long as Attis can stay tied up, I mean. He's a fling kind of guy. Prefers it that way, and I'm sure until he meets the right someone, that won't be changing any time soon."

At this, Annie frowned and found all this newfound information pretty discomforting. She didn't like it one bit.

"I know what you're thinking," Auggie continued. "Your opinion of him is probably more on the chauvinist side, and at times, I will admit he is – he isn't perfect. But he's a good guy and has always been a good brother. He's actually the one who encouraged me to try out for a lot of sports. So don't let what I just told you form preconceived notions. He's lived with it his entire life and because of that, he doesn't trust easily. Hopefully you'll give him a chance so he can give you one?"

Annie could relent to that one little request, so she forced all previous judgments away to the recesses of her mind. She could make up her mind when she got to know him a little bit better.

"All right, I'll give him a chance. You're right – everyone deserves one. I won't judge based on anything you've confided in me. You have my word." With that, she placed a chaste kiss on his lips and braced herself to meet this so-called infamous Anderson.

If she were truly being honest with herself, she was dreading this encounter. She had always tried being strong and confident – and when she heard about Attis' womanizing ways, it irked her. She knew that Auggie had, once upon a time, been a bit like that too, but she was willing to forgive him – but Attis? Unless he made a good impression on her, maybe not so much.

"Auggie?" A deep voice asked from behind Annie. Both turned at the source and immediately, she could see why so many women were eager to leave any man, including another Anderson for Attis.

In a word, Attis looked like the Greek gods Annie had read about long ago. His hair was a much lighter shade than anyone else's, almost bordering on blonde, and his hazel eyes twinkled with mischievousness. Had Annie not been so madly in love with Auggie, Annie could see herself swooning over Attis too.

"Attis," Auggie simply responded and received a warm hug from the older Anderson. "I'd like you to meet my girlfriend – Annie Walker. Annie, this is Attis, second oldest."

With a smile mischievous enough to match his eyes, Attis leaned down and pressed a kiss to Annie's free hand. Auggie had been rigt – Attis possessed enough charm to be considered illegal.

"It's lovely to meet you, Miss Walker. I take it you work with Aug here at the Smithsonian?"

"Yes. Is it that apparent?"

"No. But such a wonderful young lady like yourself wouldn't dare come to such a stuffy event unless she was truly interested. And clearly, you are." At that statement, he winked, a smug smile now resting on his lips.

Annie resisted the temptation to scoff at his attitude, but her conscience nagged her. If she wanted Auggie and her to have a future, she had to swallow her pride and stand firm against his manner silently.

Some part of her wanted to laugh at the irony. Once upon a time, she had thought that Aaron carried that certain smugness and over-confidence, but clearly, she was wrong. That award went to Attis Anderson.

"Well, I've never found these galas boring, to be honest. My opinion is actually quite the opposite." She retorted, grabbing Auggie's hand and lacing their fingers together.

_Ha._ She thought. _Annie: 1, Attis: 0_

She realized what a paradox this was – had Attis caught her attention in her much younger and immature years, she would have fallen for him easily.

"Either way, you've made this night much more interesting." He flashed another smug smile in the couple's direction.

Realizing the sudden tension in the meeting, Auggie stepped in by clearing his throat. "Well, Attis, as much as I'd love to chat with you all night, I'm sure you, just as we too, have people to greet and you can schmooze them." At that, both brothers laughed. "Hopefully we can catch up later?"

"Sounds perfect, dear brother." Another quick hug and Attis turned to Annie. "Miss Walker, truly, a lovely encounter and wonderful to meet the woman who's been keeping Auggie tied down." Annie just returned his smile, and bit her tongue back before unleashing a sharp comment. Attis turned away and greeted some other people loudly while Auggie led Annie away into a quiet corner of the gala.

"I know," Auggie started. "He's hard to take in, but I'm sure once you get to know him better, you two will be as thick as thieves."

Annie sighed. "I doubt it, but I promised to give him a chance. So I will. For you."

And she did. It took her multiple chances and multiple meetings, but Annie grew to accept and even cherish the most charismatic member of Auggie's family. Eventually they'd get to the point where he would compliment Annie wildly, just to annoy Auggie a little bit, his joking criticisms of "stealing my girlfriend" always not far behind. Auggie's family was quirky, but Annie had to admit that she loved every single one of them – like the family she never had the chance to enjoy thoroughly.

* * *

><p>"What are you thinking about, babe?" Auggie asked as he approached her, arms wrapping around her stomach.<p>

"Oh nothing. Just family." Annie said as she placed the frame of Auggie's family back on the mantle.

"Hmmm." He said as he pressed a few chaste kisses on her shoulder. "That's an excellent thing to be thinking about considering little Annie here." He said as he placed his hands on her swollen stomach after a full seven months of growth.

"I don't know why you're so convinced that our baby is a girl," Annie smiled at her husband. "And I wasn't necessarily thinking about that family."

"Let me guess – remincsing about all the hoops my brothers made you leap through so you could finally join us Andersons?"

"I wouldn't say all your _brothers_. Mostly Attis."

"I heard my name, pretty lady!" Attis called from a room inside their home. But it wasn't just any room. It was their baby's room.

"You did, but it doesn't concern you," she responded, sticking her tongue out even though he would never have a chance at seeing it. "Is it almost done?"

"Yup. You can have a look at it now." He called, much closer as he peeked into the living room. "Come on, I want you to see my wonderful handiwork. With the help of Gemma, of course."

"Shame she couldn't be here," Auggie mused as he led Annie to the room he'd started becoming familiar with.

"Well, art to sell, people to meet, bla bla bla," Attis responded as he made a motion to reveal the room.

It was beautiful – a light grey color covered the walls, and once they knew the gender (Auggie had insisted waiting until the last minute, but Annie had made him compromise at eight months so they could finish the nursery), they could accent it. Along one of the walls was a mural, a wildlife scene with bright colors that Annie couldn't help but love.

She had so much to thank for, but AUggie would always remind her that first and foremost she had to thank herself for persisting in Anderson traditions and slowly being acclimated in their family.

_Family_, Annie thought. That's exactly what this was – a little wild, a little crazy, stressful, but beautiful and completely worth it. And she _knew_, as she placed her hand on her "bun in the oven" as Attis had "cleverly" nicknamed her baby bump, it was just the beginning.

She was ready for the next chapter of her life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Again, sorry for the wait. Finals week is coming! *gasp* Which of course means I'm very busy and all that jazz. Plus the company I intern for got this contract for bla bla bla, and I've had the lovely task of ****_paperwork_****, including having to take it home. Yuck. For an unpaid internship, I sure put in a lot of time, hahaha.**

**I tried to make this chapter flow and ebb easily, but I just had such a ****_difficult_**** time, it was like a constant thorn in my side. _**

**But hopefully, I did it justice? Writing so many characters in a scene made me a nervous wreck, so I ****_had_**** to break it up - otherwise, you all still wouldn't be seeing this chapter. **

**Hate it? Love it? Constructive criticism? Glaring typo that is absolutely bothering you? It's okay to be mean and make me cry (though I don't prefer it...) - feel free to leave me a review! A muse is never content with the reviews it receives. Greedy little thing. Either way, thanks so much for the patience and for reading!**

**-Audrey**


	9. Baggage

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Nine: Baggage**

Annie sighed in pure satisfaction and delight as his lips ran down her neck, his hands gripping her hips against the doorway. She tried to lift her arms and wrap them around his neck, but he forced them down, smothering her with kisses as he now pushed his hips against hers.

She was a bit put off by this – why was Auggie being so aggressive? She had never withheld her sexuality from him and there was no reason for him to be so pushy…

His hands tightened against her wrists and pushed her arms down again.

_Ugh_. She was starting to get frustrated. _What the hell was his problem? _The thought shot down her entire body, and she could feel herself tense in absolute annoyance.

Auggie suddenly pulled back and with all the will Annie held, she forced herself to glare at him, but what she saw startled her. Pure cold dread occupied her heart and her body now. No, how could her subconscious be doing this to her?

With her entire world almost disappearing into tunnel vision and her surroundings going fuzzy, one thought inhabited her mind. _What the hell was her problem?_

* * *

><p>A startled gasp awoke her from her nightmare. A groan from the man lying beside her thrust her back into reality. She sat up slowly and looked around at her surroundings. They were familiar, and they belonged to her. She was home.<p>

"Annie," the man muttered out. "Babe, are you okay?" He sat up, rubbed at his eyes and went to grasp Annie's hand.

"…I think," Annie gulped, and looked at Auggie's features. Worry was etched on his face, and although his eyes were fuzzy and unfocused as always, it almost seemed like he was _seeing_ her. "It was just a dream," she reassured him. A small smile fell on her lips, and although from the stirring in her heart, she felt it was forced, she whispered back to him. "I'm all right."

"Do you need anything love?" He asked, the news of her nightmare still causing concern within him. Auggie suddenly pulled her to him and she was practically crushed against his chest, his face on her shoulder and his lips somewhere among her hair.

She was in a bit of a disarray due to her terrifying dreams and its implications, but here was Auggie, being her rock, stronger than she was, completely comforting her.

As much as Annie would've loved to admit that it was exactly what she needed, she was starting to feel suffocated in his embrace. She was being smothered by the very thing that loved her. She took a deep breath and pulled away from Auggie.

"No, no," she tried to convince him, although she could practically feel the skepticism rolling off of him in waves. "I'm just going to get some water – I'll be fine," she tried reassuring once more. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss on Auggie's forehead. Immediately, all the tension and the worry dissipated.

_Good_. Annie thought. Auggie couldn't know about the dream she'd just had.

"If you say so," he said, running his hand over hers and Annie relished in the feelings that the little things produced. "I love you," he suddenly said, and Annie sighed, almost in relief.

"I love you too," she repeated effortlessly. The feelings were true – that was undeniable. But what was her subconscious (her truly evil subconscious, if she was being completely honest) trying to tell her with that dream? "Don't wait up, all right?"

Auggie nodded, and although some part of Annie knew he wouldn't listen, she just wanted to settle her mixed emotions right now.

She walked to the kitchen of their apartment – it was ordinarily so cozy, and Annie usually loved it, but now, she felt like she didn't belong. Clutching a glass and filling it halfway with water, she noticed that her hand was shaking.

Panic was starting to seep into every little piece of her – even the usually calm and collected ones. With a deep breath, she lifted the glass to her lips and forced herself to drink. There was something incredible about water – even in tense moments it seemed to ease her. Two glasses of water later, and Annie was starting to feel better about everything…well, as long as she didn't think about it too much, at least.

Opening their coat closet, Annie pulled a blanket from it and went to the living room. Although when she had first moved it, it was completely modern furniture and Auggie's personal style, after dating for so long (almost two years), Annie's personal touches had made the entire place for homey. However, right now, she still felt like she didn't belong.

Her past was starting to threaten her future. Plopping down on the coach, she reached for the book sitting idly on the coffee table. As the weeks were starting to wind down, the pressure was clearly starting to take a toll on her emotionally.

As she started reading, Annie's mind started drifting off of what was happening now. She figured that when the time came, everything would sort itself out. But fate, however, clearly had stronger intentions on making her confront everything now. The haunting line in the book she was reading made her stop abruptly and slam it shut.

There was no undoing the damage now. The words were floating in her head, and it left her confused and frightened. Standing up, she decided to go to the one place she had practically vowed never to go.

It was time to sort everything out.

* * *

><p>Auggie's hand was shaking as he lifted the phone up to his ear. There was no explanation left for him – at least not one that he could find.<p>

The phone rang its allotted five times, and then it clicked over to voicemail. _"You've reached Annie and I'm not available at the moment. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you."_

Click.

He hung up, and to him, it seemed like he'd already tried reaching her a million times. In actuality, the number was more or less twenty-five times, but still – the worry that had been ingrained in him the night prior was now at an all-time high.

Grabbing his phone, he dialed another number.

"Aug!" Andrew's carefree voice answered. "What's up?"

"I, umm…I can't find Annie anywhere." He replied softly, his usually strong demeanor threatening to crack under this pressure.

"Oh," was the only thing that Andrew said. "Listen, I'll call up Aaron and we'll be right over."

"…Okay," Auggie responded, letting Andrew hang up on their conversation (or lack thereof).

What was going on with Annie? Whatever it was, he hoped she sorted it out soon. She wasn't one to disappear without warning. Maybe something bad had happened to her? His worry was escalating, something he hadn't thought possible.

Now, one thought kept twisting in Auggie's conscious.

_I shouldn't have let her go._

* * *

><p>Annie sighed as she sat down in the small café in Cape St. Claire. The crisp February air was chilling her to the bone, despite the various layers she had dressed in.<p>

Auggie had always been a bit of a deep sleeper, but as she had grabbed her suitcase and yanked it from beneath their bed, he had stirred and she had stopped in fear that he'd awaken and question what in the world she was doing.

She had packed several day's worth of clothes – she wasn't entirely sure how long this would take – at the most, it could take five days, at the least, one or two. She was truly hoping that it was the latter. The days were starting to wind down and she was worried that if she didn't sort this out, she couldn't be there for Auggie – not emotionally, nor mentally.

Grasping the cup of coffee she had ordered, she took a small sip and it provided the much needed warmth and caffeine after the drive up. She had passed Annapolis, and a small, doubting part of her and her motivations behind her mission just wanted to stop at Aaron and Kate's house. To ask them, of course, how the two had fared in the walk down the aisle.

At that thought, her heart seemed paralyzed. Their wedding was only three weeks away. It was the end of February and although it was still unpleasantly cold outside, in three weeks the weather was practically guaranteed to get mild and wonderful. A spring wedding. Early spring, but spring nonetheless.

They had been planning for little over eight months, and Annie had been assured it was going to be perfect. But now? Now she didn't know.

The dream she had was terrifying – not only in its content, but the very insinuations of it as well.

She knew that no matter how happy she was with Auggie, she couldn't forget the face in her dream. Ben's face. Ecstatic, his eyes alive – and worse of all, filled with love.

She had tried to push it away, but her aimless distraction via novel had proved for the worst. The words were still circulating in her mind.

_"I know that's what people say – you'll get over it. I'd say it, too. But I know it's not true. Oh, you'll be happy again, never fear. But you won't forget. Every time you fall in love it will be because something in the man reminds you of him."_

Was that true? Did something in Auggie remind her of Ben?

Before Ben, her wild and naïve self had always thought that her first love was her college boyfriend, John. But after Ben? It was completely untrue. What she and John had shared was special in its own way, but it wasn't the same kind of love that she had shared with Ben.

She didn't want to compare Auggie and Ben (and admittedly, she had no qualms comparing either against John – he lacked in everything that the two very different men excelled at), but her heart and her mind seemed united in a cause against her soul.

Exhausted, Annie took another gulp of her coffee. She had never imagine herself to be the kind of woman who got cold feet. And she _knew_ she loved Auggie – of that, there was no hesitation. She wouldn't have said 'yes' to his proposal had she had the tiniest little inkling of a doubt.

Then again, these doubts hadn't surfaced until she had dreamt about Ben and her in a compromising position.

It was then and there that she made a decision – she needed to face her demons, and considering Ben was off somewhere in the world risking his life, there was only one way to truly do this.

Despite Auggie's urging never to see him again, she had, once. It hadn't been very memorable or romantic or _anything _that would lead Annie to this, but he had told her that he had final words for her – in case he didn't manage to tell them to her in person.

_"It's on the beach. I hid a box there – there's some stuff in there that I would like you to have. You…" he cleared his throat. "You don't have to take them…if you don't want to. But they're there, if you __**do**__ want them."_

A nod, she remembered. That was the only response he'd received before he gave her his so-called instructions.

_"If you drive up towards the water, you'll see the patch of land that they like calling a beach. It's more of a shore line, really, but past highway marker 37, you'll see a bunch of rocks. In between the two lightest ones, you'll find what you might be looking for one day."_

He had left after that. Typical Ben.

Annie stood up, paid for her coffee, and embarked on her mission.

* * *

><p>"I'm sure she's fine, Auggie. Have you ever thought that maybe she needs a break here and there from your clingy self?" Andrew continued, trying to calm his pacing brother.<p>

Kate was currently in the kitchen, boiling some water for a cup of tea that she had mentioned was "guaranteed" to ease his nerves.

Aaron had glared at his older brother, the look practically saying "not the time for jokes".

Auggie hadn't stopped pacing, but had slowed in his frenzy. "Maybe you're right…maybe she just went to…the supermarket?" He said slowly, the doubt clear in his voice.

"Listen, Aug," Aaron started. "We're going to take another loop around the area – see if we see her, or see her car. She likes to jog in the mornings, doesn't she? Maybe she stopped by somewhere to get coffee or something."

Auggie nodded, and let his brothers leave him alone with Katie. Aaron knew that if anyone could get through to him (besides Alex, of course), it might very well be Kate.

With a sigh, he settled himself on the couch. _Their_ couch. Also the couch that Annie had swapped with a much comfier and homier one than the one he'd owned previously.

"Stop it," he could hear Kate admonish him. "I promise you that Annie is fine. If she weren't, you would've heard about it from somewhere…right?"

"But what if she doesn't come back?" Auggie forced himself to ask the question plaguing his mind incessantly.

"Well, we can move on from there. It's perfectly natural for someone to have cold feet. Hell, even though most will say it's men questioning, women question it just as much. I would know."

Auggie paused and processed the information that Kate was telling him as he gripped the warm mug. _Tea reminds me of Annie too…_, his fleeting and clearly unresponsive mind kept going. But as soon as he started thinking of Annie again, he knew he had to pay attention to what Katie was saying.

"…Are you telling me that you experienced cold feet too?" He asked, his voice just about fully incredulous.

"I'm not proud of it, and to this day, Aaron doesn't know, but yes. Commitment is a difficult thing to process. And if the Annie in your relationship is anything like the Annie I know, well…like I said. These pre-wedding jitters are okay to have."

He hesitated, and that was all Katie needed to hear. "I know it sounds…selfish…I mean, honestly, weddings are basically the one _big_ event in a woman's life. And any woman will tell you that it's better off to just have one. But there are so many uncertainties that you can't count on. If Annie is feeling what I might've felt, then it's best to let her do her thing. She'll be back. She loves you."

It was all the encouragement Auggie needed. He was convinced.

Annie would be back and they could be happy. That little voice of doubt was still hammering his heart, but he knew now – she would be back.

She _had_ to come back to him.

* * *

><p>She sighed as she looked at her handiwork on the beach. A two foot hole deep into the ground between the lightest rocks had revealed a wooden box wrapped in plastic.<p>

It was damp and covered in sand, but as soon as she had uncovered it, the damage Annie had thought it would've sustained was not there.

The box, all smooth teak and a beautiful golden-brown color. Where in the world had Ben acquired this? Clearly it was an antique, and Annie couldn't help but frown – was he trying to hold her back with such gifts?

Popping it open, Annie cringed at what she saw inside. Photos. Possible close to a hundred of them – together, enjoying the beach and relishing in the short and passionate love.

And a letter. Annie sighed and forced herself to read it. She needed to know why Ben had left this box for her. Why he wanted her to have it. She needed answers to all her questions. And she had the slightest inkling that if this box didn't contain the answers, she'd never get them.

_Dearest Annie:_

_I know I have no right calling you 'dearest'. But truly, I want you to know that I did love you. In fact, some part of me might very well still love you. However, the circumstances were not right. If I had the chance, I just want you to know that I would've given you the world, if I could have._

_This box and its contents is not meant to be a nagging snippet of the memories of Sri Lanka, but rather, something intimate of what everything meant on the beach. You are beautiful and if I could've kept you, I wouldn't have ever let you go. You know the truth, and that it is complicated, and honestly, I only want the best for you. I want you to be happy, and whether that be with me (as much as I can be with you), or with someone else, then so be it. As long as you're happy._

_Everything you'll find in this box is me letting you go. If you ever consider wanting me, then you can find me – you have the resources. But I think that we both know it wouldn't be in your best interests. Love who you love now. _

_All the most powerful emotions come from chaos – fear, anger, love – especially love. Love is chaos itself. Think about it. Love makes no sense. It shakes you up and spins you around. And then eventually, it falls apart. Don't let the love you have now fall apart. If I were to tell you something, it'd be that sometimes when you're too close to someone, it's hard to see who they really are. But with the distance I put myself between you, I saw the real you. And I don't deserve you._

_The person that you're in love with I'm sure treats you well. You're not one to love someone who doesn't care for you equally, if not more so than you._

_Sometimes when people are in love, they take the facts and spin them into pretty stories. But it's a dangerous thing to do – because one day, like it or not, you're going to see the world as it really is. You find out people aren't always who you want them to be. And if you're not ready for the truth...well, let's just say it can come as a bit of a shock._

_And here's the shocker now. Let me go, and be happy._

_-Ben_

Annie grasped her heart in pain of the reminders. But he was completely right. She needed to let him go. Completely.

Long ago, she would've thought she'd already done that – burning his nonchalant and so-called letter. However, the shell bracelet…she had locked it up in her old jewelry box that held nothing else. Clearly some part of her was still treasuring what had transposed between them.

But now, her heart was telling her something else. She was reminded of the words Auggie had uttered to her on a rainy day spent in bed and in love.

_"You can love someone so much. But you can never love people as much as you can miss them_."

He was right. And now, she could truly feel everything. She missed Auggie. Not Ben. She missed her fiancé. He was her world and she needed to get back to him.

She almost laughed through her emotions and teary eyes.

Clearly, the packed suitcase hadn't been necessary. But some part of her had _always _known that.

* * *

><p>A key in the lock of the door alerted Auggie to Annie's return. His heart would've rejoiced had he not been reminded that she had left him in the first place.<p>

It was nearly midnight and unfortunately he had been left alone with a bottle of bourbon he'd already started tearing into.

He could hear Annie walk inside and drop something onto the floor. Her footsteps were tentative as she walked into their makeshift and so-called dining room.

"Aug?" Her voice was softer than her footsteps.

"What is it?" Auggie practically spat back. He was surprised with the bitterness in his voice.

"I want to apologize for what I did. But I needed to sort some things…"

Katie had been right. She had needed to get rid of the jitters he wasn't experiencing. He was sure about his commitment to Annie. But now how could he be so sure that she was committed to him? How could he know that she wouldn't be doing this in a year? In five? Or twenty?

"I know you're disappointed in me. And the answer to all your questions…I won't. I know it's a lot to ask of you, but please now that you can trust me."

Had he asked that out loud? Damn. He must've been tipsier than he let on.

A laugh. Gentle and not quite fully Annie's laugh, but it was something. "Yes, you're talking to me. Come on, let's get you to bed." She pressed a kiss on Auggie's forehead.

She tucked him in, as she would a five year-old, and smiled as he finally let her in.

"You had me scared. I was terrified something had happened to you."

"I know. And I can probably never make up for this –"

"I have a few ideas," Auggie said, with a devilish smile on his lips.

Annie couldn't help but slightly smack him, and she continued. "But I _did _need to sort out my conflicting emotions. I need you to know that I am one hundred percent committed to you, and only you, Auggie."

He didn't say anything for a while, but then mused. "But we loved with a love that was more than love – I and my Annie Walker."

"It doesn't rhyme," Annie said with a laugh as she settled herself into his warm embrace. He smelled slightly of the strong liquor he'd been drinking, but she had to keep an open mind. She knew she was scared him half to death. "But it'll rhyme even less when I take your name."

"Still going to become an Anderson?" Auggie asked, his voice seemingly reflecting the hope that was hanging on edge.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Annie said, and left it at that as Auggie's breath started slowing and gradually leading her into sleep. "One last thing, Aug?" She whispered as she nodded and made a small noise of recognition.

"If you and I last a year, ten years…forever, I'll always be honest with you. I love you, Auggie Anderson"

_I love you, Annie Walker_. Auggie thought he said in his mind, but he was hoping he'd said it out loud too. Because he did.

Despite everything, he'd always love her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Boy, was this chapter difficult to write. I felt like I'd start writing it and then slight little wedges of writer's block would come up. Talk about annoying! **

**In other news! I am back in the States - does that mean more time for updating? Not necessarily, unfortunately. I am still an intern with the same company (different branch), and I already have various job applications floating around. However, the good news is that my finals are over and that school (for me, at least) doesn't start until mid-January. Lovely, isn't it? Hehe.**

**Now, please do let me know what you think of this chapter. Feedback is always appreciated and as any writer will tell you, it's wonderful to hear words of encouragment, or even a good critique!**

**-Audrey**

**P.S. I honestly have no idea what happened with the last chapter - I formatted it like I usually do and clearly something happened along the way and messed ****_everything_**** up! Luckily I got a PM from a lovely someone who alerted me to the weirdness. It's fixed! Or rather, I hope it is...anyways, if you need to, feel free to catch up and read the now readable chapter eight!**


	10. Trapped

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Ten: Trapped**

"Auggie," Annie said with a slight whine in her voice. "Where are we going?"

"Don't you worry your pretty little head off," a male voice said, which definitely wasn't Auggie. Who in the world would refer to her like that? _Attis_.

"Attis, I swear, tell me where we're going or I'll…I'll…" Annie tried to threaten, but couldn't really come up with anything halfway convincing.

"You'll what, babe?" Auggie said this time, laughter hinging on his voice.

"Ugh. You…Andersons…" Annie practically spit out their last name as she crossed her arms in a huff. The blindfold across her eyes was made of a thick yet soft material. She couldn't quite make out the color, but it was dark enough that not even an ounce of light made it through. Plus Auggie had tied her arms together with the same cloth – knowing she would be sneaky enough to try and take a peek.

Damn him.

Well, not really, of course. She was madly in love with Auggie, and today (give or take), was their year and half anniversary. Annie wanted to chuckle at that. The point of an anniversary was usually yearly, but he had insisted on celebrating this so-called milestone.

Hell, if he was going to go out of his way, then so be it – she wasn't the biggest fan of surprises, but Auggie's surprises were always spectacular and lovely. She couldn't really complain.

"If it makes it any better, pretty lady, I promise it isn't terribly far. Just a little bit longer."

"Hey hey hey! What did I tell you?! No hinting! Annie's too damn clever – she's going to weasel it out of you!" Auggie protested, his voice upset.

"Too late?" Attis retorted, not an ounce of guilt in his voice. And as far as Annie knew him, that half-assed apology was probably accompanied with a shrug. Typical Attis. "I'm not that sorry – I just couldn't resist Annie's natural charm."

"Stop trying to steal my girlfriend," Auggie grumbled. Uh oh. That was his pouty voice. Which meant that Auggie wasn't _really_ upset, but he was pretending to be. Silly boy.

Leaning forward against the seatbelt, Annie pressed herself against the passenger's seat, and placed her face on Auggie's shoulder. It _had_ to be Auggie, of course. No one else was in this car from what she could tell, and quite obviously he couldn't be driving.

She pressed a chaste kiss on his shoulder, taking a deep whiff of Auggie's natural masculine scent. "Don't be upset – I'm still clueless," Annie chuckled, and nuzzled him as best as she could in the current situation.

After a few minutes of silence, Auggie sighed, and she could feel him nodding. "You're right. How about you try getting a few hours of sleep?" He suggested, a grin tugging at his lips from Annie's sweet ministrations.

"A few hours?! What happened to 'a little bit longer'?!" She exclaimed, exasperation clear in her voice. A few seconds ticked by and Annie registered how tired she truly was. Maybe it was for the best… "Ugh. Fine, you win, Aug. G'night," she mumbled, and she undid her seatbelt and laid down across all three seats.

The soft music that Attis had deemed acceptable and playable in his car lulled her to sleep in no time.

* * *

><p>Annie woke up in a daze, staring at the rooftop of...something. She rubbed at her eyes and sat up, her muscles protesting at the sudden movement after spending some time in inertia.<p>

With a yawn, she threw her arms upwards and let herself stretch. Where in the world was she? Ordinarily she would've been worried, but she figured this was somehow all part of Auggie's grand master scheme to surprise her with something.

She looked around. It was some sort of house – cozy and small enough. She felt like snooping, the urge tingling in her fingertips, but that would have to wait. Right now, she wanted to find Auggie.

She looked around the bed for any indication that he had been here, and sure enough, their suitcases were resting in a corner of the room. The bed was huge and looked amazingly comfortable, and considering she'd slept several hours, it had been.

Then, she spotted it. A note.

_Dear Annie:_

_First, excuse the chicken scratch. I had to bribe Attis into writing this because he's insistent that this wasn't part of what he signed up for._

_Pull on something summery and meet me outside. It'll be worth it._

_Love, Aug_

It was concise and got straight to the point. Perfect.

Annie padded over to their suitcases and started rummaging. Something summery…what did Auggie mean by that? A sun dress? Shorts and a comfy t-shirt? The more she dug, however, the more she realized that everything in her suitcase had a central theme – it was mostly bathing suits (and not her comfy ones either – she'd have to complain to Auggie later about his packing skills, or lack thereof), shorts, and not much else.

What in the world? If she weren't still so groggy, she probably would've been able to figure it out, but all things considered, she was still half-asleep and not in the mood to try and solve Auggie's confusing puzzles.

She stripped down and pulled on one of her favorite bikinis – a bright banded and twisted top with orange and blue that contrasted wonderfully. The bottom was gorgeous too, patches of turquoise, white and the same orange and blue that made up the top. Well, even if Auggie hadn't packed her comfy bathing suits, he'd still packed some of her favorites – he was forgiven.

Annie chuckled to herself as she pulled on a pair of shorts that rose to mid-thigh. It was a stark contrast to how she usually dressed and ordinarily, she would've felt self-conscious, but if Auggie had packed these items (and only these, from what she could tell), there was to be a good reason.

Opening the thick door, she was met with sunshine – bright, beautiful, but not as beautiful as the beach that lay before her. It was _gorgeous_. So much so, that Annie couldn't contain the gasp that had caught in her throat. It wasn't the most beautiful beach she'd been on, but it was definitely a contender.

It even beat out, dare she think it, the beach of Sri Lanka where she had fallen in love with Ben at a time she hadn't known Auggie existed.

The sand was almost a hauntingly shade of white, and the water was pristine looking – a cerulean blue that almost matched the cornflower sky.

No wonder Auggie had packed only beach clothes – they were right on the shoreline, probably about 500 yards away from it. In fact, if she sprinted, she'd probably be met with wonderfully blue water in less than a minute.

The waves were hitting the ocean at a rapid pace, but _this_ was the kind of beach that she enjoyed. Raw and chaotic, but real – nothing fabricated, just nature in its absolute beauty.

She turned and looked where she'd been holed up inside while she was sleeping. But instead of noticing the house itself, she only noticed Auggie, sitting and relaxing on a bench swing. He was barefoot and clearly enjoying the sand as she took note that he was squishing it between his toes like a child.

The sun was hitting his face, and Annie reveled in how handsome he was – and how he was all _hers_ and hers only. His eyes were closed, and she was unable to see the warm chocolate browns, but no matter – she knew the color by heart. A small smile was gracing his features, and if she didn't know any better, she would've accused him of not knowing she was there. But he knew. He always did.

"Do you like it?" He suddenly asked, and it didn't surprise Annie at all.

"I _love_ it," she responded, relishing as the sun hit her skin while she joined Auggie and sat down on the bench swing. "Almost as much as I love you."

"I love you too, babe," he responded easily, the small smile breaking out into a full grin. "And I'm glad you like it. Really glad," he continued.

"If you don't mind me asking…what is this place…I mean, where are we staying?" Annie corrected herself.

"The Anderson family owns the cottage. And it _is_ a cottage. There's the master bedroom, which is where you were napping and a guest room, along with the den, kitchen, and two bathrooms. Small and quaint. It's quiet, and our family never really fit in with it, but that was okay, because it was for us." He explained, obviously remembering and envisioning things. "We used to come out here every summer – my family, I mean. And when my parents died, well, they didn't want us fighting over the material things. So this was left to all of us. Anthony is in charge of its upkeep since he lives the closest though."

Annie nodded and pressed her legs into Auggie's. He was warm – warmer than usual, which meant he'd been out here a while. "Tell me more," Annie prompted, cuddling into his embrace.

"Well, like I said, this house didn't really fit into the crazy Anderson family…but we made it work. When we were younger, we'd take turns with the guest bedroom – two people in it at once…in fact, I'm pretty sure the two twin beds are still in there," he chuckled at that. "The rest of us, weather permitting, would stay out on the beach in tents, with campfires and damn, was it perfect," Auggie continued. "As we got older though, some of us would go back to the city due to jobs and the like, and some of us would stay over here."

"Let me guess – you were one of the beach boys?" Annie asked, joking and wearing a smile as big as Auggie's. Even though they were close, and they knew a lot about each other, there were still little tidbits of information like this that had never had an opportunity to be discovered.

"You guessed right," Auggie laughed. "Some summers I'd have a job at some of the local shops and whatnot, but usually that wasn't a priority. Coming here, coming to our second home…well, that was."

A moment of comfortable silence passed between the two.

"Thank you," Annie whispered, trying not to ruin the serenity of it all.

"For what?" Auggie asked, an eyebrow shooting up in question.

"For bringing me here. For sharing your memories." Annie paused and thought of one last thing. "For loving me."

"Well, it isn't too difficult. You're home, Annie," he responded.

"What do you mean?" Annie questioned. He could be cryptic like this sometimes, but it usually led to the moments that she savored the most – contemplative Auggie.

"Home is every place and every person and everything we've touched and that has touched us. It is a part of us. You know how everyone says that home is where the heart is? Well, they've got it backwards. My heart is where my home is." He explained. Annie was at a loss for words, so instead, she nuzzled back into the warmth that he offered, hoping he'd understand.

There'd be time for running into the water, dragging Auggie into it, splashing away like a child. There'd be plenty of opportunities for passion, intimacy, and sex – enough chances to enjoy being in love and loving the beach. There'd be time to try Annie's version of surfing, and to lie in bed and ponder away at how beautiful the life that Auggie was giving her was.

But for now, there was only this. This moment of time, where love was abundant and she could be happy without worrying about repercussions. They were the tide, and the love they shared was enough. It was all they needed. This was their time.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Jeez, this chapter was a tough write. But I finally churned it out and I figured I'd post it now as a celebration for the holidays! It's not holiday themed, but...well, my choice, hahaha. **

**Anyways, please let me know what you think! Reviews keep my lovely muse going and hopefully the next chapter will be out before the new year! **

**-Audrey**


	11. Remember

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Eleven: Remember**

"Psst…Annie darling…" Auggie's voice was quiet as he whispered to his wife in the early morning.

"Hmmm," she grumbled, throwing a hand over her eyes.

"Annie…psst," he pestered her once more, placing his finger on one of her ribs and pressing lightly enough to get her attention.

She grumbled something slightly incoherent, but Auggie's excellent hearing deduced it to 'leave me alone'.

"Babe, I'm not leaving you alone – not today." He started, and he was going to continue, but Annie responded by throwing a pillow onto his face and protested some more. "Nuh uh, no behaving like a five year old," he said as he tugged on the pillow that Annie had placed over her own face.

After a minute or two of struggling with Annie, he finally managed to yank all the pillows away from her. "Baby, please?" Auggie pleaded with her, using what she called his "pouty voice".

He heard her sigh and he knew he was starting to warm her up. "I know it's early and it's our so-called vacation–"

"But?" Annie said, now much more awake, stretching her arms upward and yawning.

"It's moooooving day!" He practically screeched, suddenly shaking Annie excitedly. She wouldn't admit it to him past her bed-head and angry aura, but she was happy to see him so excited. Her? Well, she was stressed beyond belief.

She groaned again and was tempted to crawl under the covers and never come out until everything was settled and clean and actually looking like a home. But then again, what kind of wife would she be if she did that?

Answer? Not a very good one. With a huff, she threw the covers off of the bed and pulled on the jeans she had set aside. Everything else was already packed neatly in boxes – except for a few items here and there. Like some spare clothing and their bed.

"Babe," Auggie whined slightly as she moved around the room, packing their final box. "I'm feeling neglected over here."

"Well, Aug, I love you so damn much…but the movers get here in thirty minutes. We're allowed to leave stuff around, but what can fit in boxes has to be in boxes. They're called movers, not packers," she explained as she rushed and folded and crammed.

"…Fine," he agreed, and he grabbed some items too and handed them to Annie so she could put them in their appropriate box.

"Thank you…and I'll be sure you get a lovely reward for being so cooperative," she smirked, thinking of the last "reward" she'd given him. She'd been sore for an entire two days after that experience.

"It's moving day!" He proclaimed once more. He was clearly excited for this.

After their wedding, they'd spent two weeks on their honeymoon on the small Caribbean island of Santa Lucia and the last two weeks living in their mostly emptied out apartment. Luckily for Annie, she hadn't been the one to do most of the packing – Aaron, Kate, and Andrew had "volunteered" for packing duty (although later Kate admitted that she'd blackmailed Andrew into helping and made a "deal" with Aaron, which sounded very much like Annie's "rewards" for Auggie).

"You keep saying it's moving day," Annie said as ran a brush through her hair and prepared to throw most of their essential toiletries into a small duffel bag.

"Well, I've been up since six, making sure that everything is in tip top shape for the movers," Auggie explained. "So hurry up and finish getting ready, because it's–"

"Moving day," Annie interrupted, as she tied her hair back. It was longer than ever – she'd wanted it in a pretty up-do for their wedding, but now she was starting to get annoyed. Maybe it was time to chop it all off? Although Dani would probably kill her…

"Why aren't you excited for this?" Auggie suddenly asked, lingering in the doorway to the bathroom.

"I am…but I'm also stressed. All the furniture luckily made it in one piece to the house, and most of the rooms have been painted by the brigade." She explained as she groaned – there was a knot in-between her shoulder blades that was starting to annoy her.

"Aren't you glad that Aaron and Kate live in D.C. now?" He smiled at Annie's nickname for the two. They had moved into a bigger home in preparation for the big family that Aaron wanted. Although Kate always jokingly said that her limit was two kids, Annie knew both of them well enough – Aaron always got his way and three mini-Andersons were his purported minimum.

"I am, but there's still so much to do, and we have to go back to work soon, and I'm terrified that we won't be settled in enough and that'll work will start rolling in…"

"Hey, hey, no negativity," Auggie urged as he placed his hands on Annie's shoulders and started rubbing at them. Annie sighed as the pain started melting away. "We'll get through this. Just like we've gotten through everything else. How, love?"

"Together," Annie smiled at her answer. If she'd ever had any doubts before the wedding, which she _did_ have, now that they had officially tied the knot, all that particular worry had dissipated. But with that relief came new worries.

"I love you," Annie suddenly blurted as she relaxed into Auggie's warm fingers.

"You sure you aren't saying that because of my awesome masseuse skills?" He said with a smirk playing on his lips. Annie laughed, and amidst her laughter, she heard his reply. "Love you too, babe."

His fingers ran down her back, pushing forcefully into the soreness and stress she'd been carrying since the end of their honeymoon. It was a lot to deal with, Auggie would admit, but even then, he couldn't help but remember how happy Annie had been when they had found _their_ house.

_"It's perfect_," Annie had said those several weeks ago. And he was willing to trust her – she was _his_ wife. His everything. And he would follow her anywhere and everywhere.

Although he wouldn't be able to see the glorious house that Annie had practically chosen by herself, walking around it, he felt the wide open spaces – if Annie loved it, he was sure to love it too.

Suddenly, Annie felt Auggie's fingers roam upwards, skirmishing the sides of her breasts, and it was then that she squirmed out of his loving grasp.

"Auggie!" She exclaimed, her face beet red and her hormones flaring at her husband. "Not the time or the place…although saying farewell like that would be memorable," she murmured as she thought about it a little more besides her initial reluctance.

"See?" He chuckled, embracing her again and kissing her passionately and deeply. His kisses always made her stomach flutter and her heart race and…now was not the time for this, she had to remind herself, despite her body and her heart being traitors.

"Honey, I'd love nothing more than to shag you senseless…but the movers are practically here…so how about," Annie continued, her voice dropping low. "We finish this little christening at our home? Our new home?"

The sheer idea was good enough for Auggie, and it got his mind wandering to all the lovely places that he was sure to discover now.

"Well, come on then, let's hurry up," he was now insistent.

In a flash, he had everything that was left pushed into boxes, and the rest ready to be loaded into the car. Nothing like promises of what was to come to make him eager to help and get him moving. It was Annie's secret weapon, and she knew it worked effectively, every single time.

Even when he "claimed" he "wasn't" in "the mood"…which had never actually happened, Annie realized as she thought about it. _Men_.

Annie stretched her arms upwards one more time and groaned. The bedroom was empty now. _Their_ bedroom. So many memories had been made _here_, of all places. Annie could feel the grin creeping up on her face. When he had proposed, they had truly _celebrated_ in the bed that was now packed up and away.

When they had had their first _real_ fight as a couple, this was where they managed to talk through and discuss things out. When Dani had moved away, this was where she had cried her heart out to him, asking him what she would do without her sister.

He had laughed, she had glared, and he went on to explain that she was only moving – not really leaving. She had realized how silly she was being, and now the two resolved to speak to each other at least once a week.

Annie walked out of their bedroom and into the bathroom to make sure nothing had been left behind. _This _was where she'd spent many a morning shower pressed against the cold tile, Auggie working his magic on her body. On those mornings she'd always pressured that they were going to be late, but they never were. A sly smile appeared this time, remembering _those_ wonderful recollections.

She turned round and walked out to the rest of the apartment. The living room. When they were barely starting to date, they had spent several nights on the couch, resting and talking, exploring each other and getting to know one another in the things that were unknown. It was also the very beginning of their first truly sexual encounter, and Annie would always remember _that _very vividly. The look on Auggie's face, his eyes, though unresponsive, dilated, and his happy sighs – they could fill Annie's days, with or without marriage and she'd know she'd always be content.

Annie suddenly realized how empty the apartment felt. It was like they were closing a chapter on their lives and beginning a new one with their new home. As much as she loved the house she'd mostly chosen for both of them, she was terrified that the memories formed there would press back the delightful memories of this home.

However, Annie decided that today was _supposed_ to be a happy day, and even if she had to pretend a little, she would be happy for Auggie, considering how happy and excited he was. Any doubts that he wouldn't like their new house were dismissed this morning, and especially by how he dashed here and there, throwing items in boxes (that didn't necessarily belong in, but Annie would deal with _that_ later). She was incredibly happy, her worries pushed aside, at how happy Auggie himself was.

Sometimes, though she wouldn't dare admit it to Auggie, she wondered how he could be so happy. He made the best of his blindness (_never_ a disability, Annie had learned early on, only a setback), and he was her light. He reminded her to be happy and to feel blessed with the people she had in her life.

Suddenly, Auggie reappeared at the door. "Babe?" He asked, his face filled with earnest confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Annie tried to reassure, but she knew she was a terrible liar when it came to him. "Just…remembering…" she answered as honest as she could.

"I'll miss this place too," Auggie said after a slight beat of silence. He had just admitted what Annie wasn't entirely sure she wanted to divulge. "Just let it be." He continued.

"I'm…just…someone else will eventually live here, and those memories–"

"Will be kept with us. I love you, and I love this place, but it's time." Annie nodded with his words. She knew. The movers had to be here by now.

"All right. Let's go," Annie nodded and wrapped her arm around Auggie's waist as he slunk his arm around her shoulders.

With one last glance, Annie resolved to close the door – they were leaving this place behind, but the memories would _never_ be forgotten.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, so I lied, this isn't up before the new year - but you can't blame me (sort of, kinda), because work took over my life for the last week. Anybody who works retail understands, I'm sure...**

**Either way, late or early, the update is here! Please, let me know what you think! It'd be lovely to hear from any of you! **

**-Audrey**

**P.S. I've made it a so-called resolution to be better about responding to reviews...so I intend to start now! Hopefully it lasts, right? Wish me luck! :)**


	12. Impending

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Twelve: Impending**

"Babe, don't you think this big old house is a little…empty?" Auggie asked, his eyes closed and his face calm – as though he hadn't proposed a new addition to their home and was instead conversing about the weather.

Annie put down the book she was immersed in and held in her groan. She knew that she wanted kids someday…but _now_? Now was not really the time – for either of them. She mused a bit longer, reveling in the comfortable silence that they'd been sharing before answering.

"Honey, I love you. So much. Too much, some days," Annie watched her husband's face for any clear signs of emotions. She smiled as a smug smile rested on his lips from her declaration. "_But_," she watched as the smile fell slightly, his unoccupied hand reaching over for the glass of water and preparing to take a sip. "I am not ready for the pitter patter of tiny feet on these lovely hardwood floors quite yet."

She didn't get the reaction she expected. Instead of a heated argument, she got the look of shock and worry on his face, before starting to choke on his gulp of water. A few pats on the back and several minutes later, Auggie had calmed down.

"Hate to break it to you, but I was _not_ talking about kids." Annie was immediately hurt – had she underestimated him? Did _he_ not want kids? "I mean, not yet…definitely, not yet, like you said."

Annie let out a sigh of relief at his explanation. _Good_. They were on the same page. For the most part. "Wait. Kids. As in plural?"

"I mean, we can discuss it eventually, when we'll want a child, or children…but I'd prefer having multiple kids, yep. Let's face it – my parents had six of us. I'm a big family kind of man."

"You're not the one giving birth to them, sweetie. And as much as I love your ambition, six kids…that isn't happening. Not that I don't admire your parents for raising such wonderful adults, including you…but…no."

"Your family was practically almost a little bit cookie cutter, Annie – two kids, that thing going on. Small families have never been my thing."

She sighed once more. "Okay, okay, I don't want to argue with you before bed. Let's get back to the subject on hand – what did you mean with your terribly loaded question?"

Auggie let out a chuckle, before offering up his suggestion. "Why don't we get a dog?"

"A dog?" Annie scrunched up her nose. She had always thought of herself as more of a cat person – she liked both, but cats were definitely more her repertoire. And considering that Dani was allergic to dogs, it made sense that her family had been a cat family all along. "What's wrong with Ginger and Lucky?" Annie asked about their two cats, both of which were resting on their bed.

"Nothing," Auggie was quick to respond. "I love Ginger and Lucky, I do…but they sort of came with the package of you and I moving in together into the apartment and now they're here."

"Are you suggesting that you don't like cats and were coerced into cohabiting with them?" Annie was quick to accuse when her babies were involved. She loved her cats – Ginger was her first kitten after Dani had moved away. Auggie had always suggested that she'd projected her so-called "abandonment" onto Ginger, but she'd still argue to this day that it wasn't true.

Ginger was a gift, after all – a white kitten with black splotches all over and mittens – although naming her that would've been a bit contrived. Instead, Auggie had offered the name and she'd been quick to agree. Her favorite thing about Ginger besides her loving temperament? Her eyes. One bright green and the other icy blue, it made her different and Annie was proud to call Ginger hers.

Lucky on the other hand had been acquired by accident. The black kitten had found its way onto her doorstep, and after found posters hadn't done anything to attract an owner, Annie took her in. Lucky was a little more catlike in her behavior – slinking off and sometimes blatantly ignoring Annie. But she couldn't help but love them both.

And when Annie and Auggie had moved in together, he hadn't seemed too convinced in having to share his spaces with the cats. Ginger's love had quickly won him over, nonetheless, but Lucky was truly his baby. For whatever reason, Lucky was enamored with her new owner – following him occasionally, and every night when given the choice between curling up with Annie or Auggie, she was sure to head over to Auggie's space.

"Annie," he sighed, the conversation clearly far from over. "I told you. I love them both. But as much as Lucky pretends she's a dog and follows me…she isn't. I just want another critter around the house that'll love us unconditionally."

Annie looked at Ginger, who was currently resting on a book that Annie had made the mistake of putting down. Not one to move her, she had plucked up another one. She was sound asleep. Meanwhile, Lucky was happily kneading Auggie, happy purrs emanating loudly from the cat.

They were her babies. But this was maybe the next step in their relationship. Getting something to care for _together_. That wasn't a child, because Annie was _not_ ready for that. Definitely not.

"But…the cats…" Annie tried protesting one last time. "I'm pretty sure the animosity between cats and dogs isn't exaggerated…" she suggested. Maybe this would convince Auggie.

"Babe, Ginger and Lucky adore dogs. I know because…" Auggie paused, scrunching his eyebrows together. "I just know they're going to love a dog," he suggested weakly, much to Annie's discontentment.

"How do you know? And no wild stories, just the truth, Aug," she said in her 'I mean business' tone. If she was going to be the mother of multiple children like Auggie suggested, she might as well start getting used to this stern tone.

"….well, you were away on a mission and Andrew dropped by with his dog, Aristotle – he needed a place to stay and I wasn't going to turn him away," he explained. "I didn't want to tell you because I was sure you wouldn't like the idea of your kitties being exposed to a dog."

Annie sighed, but decided to keep her mind open If Lucky and Ginger were okay with dogs, she wasn't going to say no out of pure spite. A healthy relationship didn't constitute on that – it constituted on giving and taking, being equal. "How did they react?" She was almost afraid to ask, but it was worth knowing.

"…They were cautious, at first, but I guess that's to be expected. Ginger opened up first and Lucky followed shortly after. I guess they got along as well as grown cats can get along with a dog. The good thing is that Aristotle is a show dog – he's practically perfectly trained."

"Okay," she relented, finally after a few quiet minutes of thought. "We'll go look at dogs from the shelter. That's my only condition – adopting, okay?"

"Yes!" Auggie exclaimed, startling the half-asleep cat on him. "I'm perfectly fine with a shelter dog. Thanks honey," he finished, pressing a kiss on her temple, much to Lucky's discontentment as he moved around and disturbed her comfortable position.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I agreed to this," Annie muttered to herself as she watched her husband bounce around from cage to cage in their neighborhood shelter. The dog section was cleverly named "Indiana Bones", and as soon as the duo had entered, Annie knew there was trouble to be found. There were easily one hundred dogs in the large space, and since Auggie wouldn't be swayed by cuteness, only by personality, he had insisted on petting each individual critter, big or small, in order to decide.<p>

Luckily for Annie, Auggie had completely evaded the "small dogs" section, foregoing it for the medium-sized dogs. She wasn't entirely sure if she could deal with a yipping dog that was the size of a New York rat.

As she followed Auggie's path of destruction and dog-petting, Annie's eye wandered over to a small Dalmatian. It had giant doe eyes and she couldn't resist reading the clipboard attached to the kennel.

_Pasta Batman. Six month old male Dalmatian. Adventurous, borderline mischievous. Loves attention, but gets along great with other animals. House-trained and energetic. Prefers long walks. Easily re-nameable. _

She had to chuckle at that last part. Though she wouldn't be completely against the second-half of the name (Batman had always been her favorite hero – no superpowers but still a superhero), she could see why other people wouldn't be quite so convinced to adopt a dog named Pasta Batman.

"I see Pasta Batman has caught your eye," a male voice said from behind her. Annie turned, and set her eyes on the gentlemen who had spoken to her. "He's a real sweetheart, but not everybody can handle him. He's been through three homes already, so maybe this time he could find his forever home."

"You're right – there's something about this dog that's…enticing. But we have two cats, so I don't know if mischievous goes along with cats." Annie explained. She reached her hand forward and brushed her fingers through the incredibly soft fur. He quickly closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, clearly wanting more.

"You're adorable, Pasta Batman," Annie cooed at him as he started to tap his hind leg in a steady rhythm.

"We'll take him," Auggie suddenly said from behind her. She turned, and was surprised to see him there. She had thought that he'd be preoccupied another while longer while he obsessed over the many furry creatures.

"Are you sure, honey?" She couldn't help but ask. As the teen had explained, Pasta Batman was clearly not easy to handle, and she'd probably be delivering the brunt of the dog care.

"I'm sure. You clearly already adore him, and he probably adores you too."

She was wary, but she wasn't going to say no to the very thing she'd agreed to.

"Well, then, I guess Pasta Batman is ours." She agreed, not entirely sure yet if she was ready for such a challenging dog. But then again, she figured that it was either go all the way or not at all.

As she was signing to paperwork, Auggie leaned in suddenly. "Is there any way we can change his name?" He said quietly.

"I don't know…it _is_ kind of endearing," Annie said, a smile on her face. She was joking, but hopefully Auggie wouldn't pick up on her playful tone.

"Babe…as much as you _may_ like it, I know when you like to tease me," he said, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.

_Damn_. He almost knew her too well.

"Names are a tough thing to decide," the lady behind the desk offered. "If you want, take him home, get to know him, and then you can change his name. All we need to know is that Pasta Batman was adopted, and trust me – his name isn't exactly forgettable." The trio laughed at her remark.

Finally, with a flourish, Annie signed on the last dotted line and woman, whose nametag read 'Leslie', offered a handshake.

"Congrats, your family is now officially responsible for Pasta Batman. Here's a complimentary leash, so you can wrangle him inside, and good luck – he deserves a good home."

"Thank you. We'll take good care of him." Annie reassured, and with that, Pasta Batman was officially theirs.

* * *

><p>Later that day, as Annie prepared for a much needed nap after taking care of Pasta Batman (who was, luckily, napping in the kitchen), Auggie surprised her in bed with lunch.<p>

"It might not be breakfast, but it's something, right?" He chuckled, choosing to lie beside her. Although most of their furniture was set up the way it was meant to stay, there were still a few odds and ends to fix up.

"Thanks," she answered, letting a comfortable silence descend upon them. Of course, it wasn't meant to last – while both liked the quiet serenity that came with silence, either one or the other was bound to interrupt it.

"So, instead of Pasta Batman," Auggie started up again, trying to convince Annie to choose a name, and sooner rather than later, before Pasta Batman grew attached to his seemingly strange and unrelated name. "How about…Rover?"

"Rover? Pfft," Annie answered quickly. "How about Spot?" She said, the laughter lilting on the end of her question. He sighed. Clearly she was not a fan of the trite names – he mentally noted, and scratched them off of his list.

"Hmmm…well, then…what if we name him…" Auggie trailed off, thinking. "I got nothing," he admitted.

"Rorschach…does that sound like Pasta Batman might like it?" Annie questioned.

"As in…the ink blot guy? Hmmm…." Auggie was being critical this time. "I like it," he finally decided, a minute or so later.

"Then it's decided – our Pasta Batman is now named Rorschach."

"It's much more suitable – and he won't get strange looks from other owners."

"You mean _we_ won't get strange looks," she retorted, and they shared a laugh together. However, Annie mused for a second. "I didn't say this earlier, even though I wanted to," she paused, swallowing quickly so as to force herself to say the words. "But thank you. For everything."

"It's just lunch." Auggie laughed, but deep down he knew what she was talking about.

And it was true for him too – he wouldn't want to share these moments with just anybody, but only his Annie.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey lovely readers, I probably have a thousand and one reasons as to why this wasn't posted earlier, but I'm sure you're not interested in hearing them. However, since ****_I_**** want to vent with relative anonymity, I will tell you these few things: pneumonia sucks. It kicked my butt and led to a lovely case of bronchitis. Yep, hospital and everything. Eww. Also, coming back home and having to ship a bajllion things overseas also sucks. Lots of phone calls to make and dealing with airports and shipping companies and...this second reason was possibly worse than being sick...no, no it wasn't, haha. Finally, getting adjusted to being back in the States is rough (no more "sophisticated" accents! -sigh-), along with starting school again - it's been a busy two months, and I apologize for the lack of updates.**

**HOWEVER! (And this is where things get awesome), without any unforeseen incidents until summer, I will ward off any and all distractions in order to get chapters out to you guys. Including the "clingy" boyfriend who missed me while I was overseas...that's how much I adore writing for you lovelies! **

**Reviews make the writer's soul happy (and the muse, that frigid bitch, work faster) - so let me know what YOU think. (That's right, ****_you_****! I know who you are, hehe.)**

**-Audrey**


	13. Gravity

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Thirteen: Gravity**

Annie sighed as Auggie's lips made their way up right next to her earlobe. Damn. How did he know that this was one of her favorite spots to be kissed?

However, right as he pressed an almost chaste kiss _right_ there, he stopped, stepping away from her. He cleared his throat, and Annie opened her eyes to look at her…well, Auggie wasn't really her anything, relationship-wise. They were still best friends. And if this…_thing_ they had going on didn't work out, maybe they could still be best friends. But no boundaries had been set between them since she had kissed him a month and a half ago.

It had been fall then – crisp and yet still warm all at the same time. Leaves were changing their colors, preparing trees for winter, and it was almost as if she was mimicking the seasons; she was preparing herself for change, in more ways than one.

"Do…do you want to come inside?" Auggie asked quietly, one of his hands reaching for hers, as he held onto her wrist carefully, almost delicately, rubbing at the soft skin, right below where her pulse was beating quickly.

Annie panicked a little bit. This was technically only their second date. And she had always prided herself on following her three date rule. Kisses – they were okay. They didn't have as much as an emotional connection as anything else they could possibly do.

But was she ready to sleep with Auggie? Annie tried thinking hastily, but despite her ability to think quickly on her feet, no answers came to her. She couldn't say she didn't want to – it was Auggie, after all. But she was a firm believer of sticking to your guns when it was most important.

Clearly sensing her qualms and indecisions, Auggie cleared his throat. "Ah, not like that," he chuckled. "Just come inside for a drink, we can talk a while longer," he suggest, a small smile gracing his lips. It relaxed Annie, and it made her feel secure in his arms.

_Well, one drink couldn't hurt_, she thought, as she gently pulled her wrist out of his hand and replaced it with her own. "Okay," she agreed.

This time, a large smile met her own. Clearly she had just made him happy. "Great," he spoke quietly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a key-ring with three keys on it. He quickly snagged the right key (at least, Annie guessed, since he always seemed to be spot on), and sure enough, the door popped open.

Of all the times she'd been in his apartment, she'd never been here like _this_. She had never imagined she'd be here after a date. Of course she knew she had been attracted to Auggie, but she had always kept it buried, afraid to ruin the friendship they shared. He had been wonderful to her all these years, and she wasn't going to risk some schoolgirl crush on him, of all people.

But that had all changed when their lips had met. Clearly there was some reciprocation of the feelings, otherwise, she wouldn't be here.

"Sit," he invited, as he read her apprehension. "You've been here before, Annie, you know that you're welcome," he continued. "What would you like?"

"Hmmm…whatever you're having," Annie responded. She hoped he wasn't choosing something too strong.

Auggie came out with a glass of wine and a glass of a bronze liquid. It was whiskey, scotch, or one of those, more than likely. The tips of his fingers were gingerly resting inside both glasses, judging the level to which he had filled both.

"So, I decided to have whiskey, but I know you don't like strong, so I figured I'd crack this guy open." He explained.

Annie smiled. "Thank you." The wine in the glass was an almost cloudy looking raspberry-colored one. It reminded her of the color of her favorite wine. But there was no way Auggie could _possibly _know her favorite, right? Taking a small sip, Annie was shocked. How in the world had he found out about her favorite wine? She had to ask.

"How did you…?" Annie started, but was stopped by Auggie chuckling.

"Annie, you act as if this is our first date ever…" he paused for a second to take a sip of his scotch, or whiskey….Annie wasn't sure what it was he'd been drinking. "Well, it is," he carried on, "but it's not like we're complete strangers to one another."

Annie laughed this time. "You're right. It's just…this is taking some time for me to adjust to, you know? It's strange to think that I'm dating my best friend…my colleague at work, and whatnot," she said with a quick wave of her hand. "So, I have to know…" she paused to take another sip of the pleasantly funky wine that converted into fruity and floral notes.

"How I knew?" He asked, finally sitting down next to Annie, a small sigh finally denoting that he was relaxing. "At the tavern you always enjoy a good beer…but occasionally, you'll ask for your wine. And sometimes, they'll have it. And that's how you've always referred to it – 'your wine'…so I asked one of the bartender's one night, because I was curious, and they told me. 2009 Rosso del Contadino. And while I didn't like it, I figured I'd buy a bottle, just in case."

Annie was about to respond about his "aversion" (however blithe, his distaste didn't settle well with her), he continued. "Granted, I've never been a fan of wines. So I guess that's one difference between us."

"What? You don't like curling up in a bubble bath with a glass of wine and relaxing? I don't think this is going to work, Auggie," she teased, her lighthearted tone letting him know she was joking.

"Hey, I never said I didn't like bubble baths," he retorted. "The wine…eh, I could do without it," he chuckled. A moment of comfortable silence settled between the pair. Annie relaxed into his arms and he ruined the silence, momentarily.

"You can take off your shoes and _really_ relax, like you do on our movies nights, you know?" He whispered.

Annie hummed some form of agreement, setting the wine glass down and reaching down to loosen the heels. The black Christian Louboutin's were fabulous…but alas, painful to wear. Although this had been her splurge (and what an overindulgence it had been) of the past year, she was still glad she'd snagged the black ankle boots right off the rack the moment she'd seen the bright red sole of the marvelous shoes.

She unzipped and slipped them off, curling her feet up and leaning against Auggie once more, as the silence overtook them again. Annie didn't mean to, but she let her eyes close for a quick second.

_Just a quick second_, she convinced herself, but with the relaxing wine working in her body, she couldn't help but feel incredibly and undeniably comfortable in Auggie's arms.

"You know, there's a lot we don't know about each other," she mumbled into his chest.

"Hmm," Auggie acknowledged. "I agree. Ask me."

"Ask you what?"

"Anything." He responded. "I want to know you better Annie. Don't think you're just some fling, because you deserve better than that."

She nodded. "All right. What's your favorite color?" She wanted to know if he still remembered colors, but not in an insulting way. She figured this was an innocent enough way to find out.

"Over the years, I've forgotten what most colors look like, but I think it's…that really light blue that the sky gets on really clear days. Or the vivid green of grass. The colors that I've managed to remember for sure have always been connected to memories…" he whispered to her.

She felt as if she'd been introduced to some grand secret. "What about yours?" He asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Red, of course. But not just any red. Bright, cherry red," Annie watched as Auggie's eyebrows scrunched together, as if trying to pull a memory where red was prevalent. He relaxed, and she knew that he'd "found" it – he knew what her favorite color looked like, or at least, as much as he could possibly ever know.

She settled into him again, and soon, they were talking, about everything and anything. It would've seemed endless, but of course, nothing is forever.

* * *

><p>"Do you miss it?" Annie asked quietly whispering one of her last and most prevalent questions into the winter air.<p>

Sometime during the night, he had suggested going up on his roof. Although she'd seemed a bit reluctant at first, insisting they'd look like vandals or hoodlums sneaking around on city roofs, Auggie had insisted. Annie wasn't going to argue with stubborn Auggie, at least not at this hour.

So they had climbed. And he let her watch the stars. But in a moment of curiosity, Annie had instead kept her eyes closed, catching a glimpse (however brief and not at all close to what Auggie actually went through each and every day) of how he lived.

In the few times she'd opened her eyes in-between questions, she had been surprised as to how the city around them had practically disappeared. Why had she never done this? The bright stars had twinkled at the beginning, but clouds had quickly rolled in – and though that had ruined her stargazing, that didn't mean she couldn't gaze in wonder at the grand old sky that had stood there before her time.

The sounds had dissipated the later it got – but it wasn't the silence that surprised Annie – rather it was the peace she felt inside of herself. She had always known that she felt comfortable with Auggie, but this…_this _was different.

Annie almost felt like…the universe was telling her this was right. This was what was supposed to happen. Of course, she wouldn't admit this to herself fully – thinking that everything was meant to be, it was practically self-centered. And if she knew one thing about her past relationships, it was all about the give and take. So for now, she'd keep this to herself.

"Hmmm," Auggie finally hummed, his arm circling around her tighter, as if to let her know that he'd heard the personal (almost _too_ personal) question.

She secretly hoped he understood what she meant with her question. That she wouldn't have to elaborate, and say the difficult words caught in her throat. Annie opened her eyes to the pink, orange and grey sky. Flecks of snow were falling around them, thick enough to get in her hair and eyelashes before melting quickly.

_Do you miss being able to see? _Annie wished she had the guts to ask her question with those words. So he knew that she wasn't afraid to ask him.

"Some days, I do," he finally answered. "Like today," he whispered into the quiet silence – silence that would soon be breached by the sounds of heavy D.C. traffic. "I'd say…you'd make a perfect angel in the snow." So clearly he knew it was snowing.

But right now, she wasn't focused on the weather, instead, on his words. A perfect angel in the snow. She was far from perfect, and she wasn't an angel either. But his sentiment was so heartwarming that she wasn't going to offer a rebuttal.

"…I really like you Aug," she offered. It was nothing compared to what he had said, but it was something.

"I like you too." He said, a smile resting on his lips. "Let's go inside – I'll make some coffee."

And although they would make it inside, after talking until sunrise, the pair would end up falling asleep on the couch, cuddled in a pile of blankets and pillows dug up from Auggie's linen closet.

The coffee would brew, the traffic would dissipate and the day would rush forward, but they'd still be there, snoozing and dreaming away. And although later they'd wake up bleary eyed and sore in awkward places, neither would admit to regretting their conversation and the night spent awake.

Besides, Annie would later think, musing to herself as she curled up in her own bed with her cats – the gravity of their relationship was entirely different compared to how it'd been only two days ago. And she'd found things out about Auggie, about his family, his past, hopes and dreams for the future. They had hit the building blocks that made relationships strong, and now, Annie could only imagine that they were left off for the better.

She had lost sleep for all the right reasons.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello again! See, aren't I getting better at updating? ;) I really don't have much news, except that life is starting to settle - finally, right? At least that's what I find myself thinking ****_all_**** the time. I am most definitely looking forward to spring break! Then again...who isn't? Haha.**

**All right, lovelies, let me know what you all think! Feedback is ****_always_**** appreciated (negative or positive)!**

**-Audrey**


	14. Small

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Fourteen: Small**

Annie once again smiled and posed for yet _another_ picture. Was this night ever going to end? She knew she was being dramatic, but she had a right to be…to a certain extent, of course.

She was the one who'd gotten herself here in the first place. In theory, this had been all her fault – she'd begged, pleaded, badgered, and finally bribed her way to get here, and regret pounded deep in heart and settled into her stomach.

_Never again_, she thought. _From now on, I will listen to his opinion on every…well, most matters_.

She wanted to chuckle, but incur the wrath of the photographer wasn't good since she'd already done so twice before.

"All right ladies and gentlemen, time for the group photo!" A shrill voice practically snapped Annie's ear drums. Dramatic again, yes, but it was true. She felt sorry for whoever had chosen to marry that monster of a woman.

With a sigh, Annie reminisced as to how she'd gotten herself into this mess.

* * *

><p><em>Three months earlier…<em>

"Hey Aug?" Annie called out into their apartment. He had said he was going to take a shower, but since she didn't hear any water running, he was either finishing up, or just making his way inside.

She had a stack full of mail in one hand and she removed her shoes with the other. She was thankful that it wasn't too hot outside – she hated really hot summers, but loved the season in general. She sighed as her body grew acclimated to the chilled air conditioning. She carefully placed her shoes in the "designated" area that the couple had decided upon when Annie had first moved into his apartment.

That had been an entire adventure. Since he'd gone blind, he'd found his routine; he was always adamant about where everything went, she'd learned very quickly upon moving in with him.

Of course, he needed to adjust to having another human being and two cats all under one household. He had lucked out, though, and moved in with someone endearing enough to have patience and be willing to support his little crazy routines. It was especially nice that Annie never questioned the slightest thing. She was supportive of him, but didn't pity him like so many women did after his accident.

"Honey?" She beckoned, hoping to get a response. Flipping through the mail, she smiled as some of the letters were addressed to 'Annie Walker' – every time she saw the little things that acknowledged her relationship with him, the smiles were inevitable.

Annie walked toward their bedroom, flipping through an electric bill, a letter from Dani and the girls (which she would most definitely have to read later), an invitation to a reunion, yet another bill…

_Wait a second_, Annie thought, picking out the reunion invitation. Her eyes skimmed over the letters, trying to get the gist of everything. It was for a high school reunion. And definitely not hers. She turned over the card, and sure enough, it was addressed to one August Anderson.

She listened closely, and as she did so, she wasn't entirely sure if the water was running. Stepping closer to their bathroom, she realized that Auggie was singing along to Frank Sinatra. She smiled. It was the little things that made every relationship unique, and this was one of those extraordinary little things.

Instead of lurking outside the bathroom, she walked back to their kitchen, and wrote out checks for the two bills that didn't accept online payment. It was a bit of a hassle every month, but it was definitely easier to mail a check than to have to drive down to the utilities building on the other side of town.

As she sealed the envelope, Annie heard the door to the bathroom open. Good. It was time to ask Auggie about his reunion, because in all honesty, she was completely curious. Was this the first notice? Or had he been avoiding it?

She knew him, however, and she was almost certain that he had simply been putting it off, keeping this small little secret from her. Annie wanted him to carry his life like normal, and that wasn't accomplished by avoiding events and being as antisocial as possible. Thus, she pushed him. Not in the ways that she knew upset him, but rather with encouragement…and certain forms of bribery, of course. She knew what he liked, and she used it to her advantage.

However, it wasn't always sexual – she knew he loved homemade apple pie, and whenever she had the patience (and Dani was available to call in case of a "pie emergency"), she would take the time to bake. Annie looked in the pantry and saw that she had everything to bake; she knew she needed every figurative weapon in her arsenal for this one – _especially_ if Aug had been trying to avoid going to a reunion. Something special…to a certain extent. Plus, she wanted to know him as he was in the past – had he always been so suave and confident? Or had he been a nerdy computer guy as she knew and loved him?

Auggie had photo-albums – but he'd never really shared as to where they were, and as much as Annie was a part-time spy, she was not going to go snooping in their apartment, looking for something that he clearly did not want found. He'd admitted to her, one night, while they were getting ready for bed that he'd once been a fanatic of recording every little memory. But after…there'd been no point. He could still have the photos, but even then – if he couldn't see them, why glorify them in frames around his home?

Annie had asked, if maybe, perhaps one day she could sort through them and see them – she hadn't received a specific answer. He'd been vague, clearly not wanting to revisit those times after intensive therapy quite yet; he'd only said 'maybe, one day,' and Annie hadn't pushed.

But if this reunion was the key to getting what she wanted, knowing who Auggie was at another point in time, then she'd definitely try her damn hardest to get him there. Even if she had to practically drag him.

* * *

><p>A smirk fell on Annie's lips as she dug around in the back of her closet. There <em>had<em> to be something in here to help her seduce Auggie.

Well…she'd already seduced him, in theory – they were living together after all. But she needed the best form of bribery she could offer. And dammit, if she had to use her body to get what she wanted, she would most definitely do it.

She'd never been a "costume" person – and neither had her last serious boyfriend…before Ben, of course. Kevin had been the opposite of Ben – committed, easy to read, and secrecy wasn't among his talents. However, after a night of drunken foolishness (that's how most drunk nights ended, anyways), she'd caught him with another woman.

Many fights later (and worse, with someone who was drunk, but desperately trying to sober up), she'd demanded that he get out. The next morning, she'd changed the locks (after asking her landlord, who didn't ask questions, having heard the fight along with the other residents), and left three boxes of stuff outside the door.

That had been the end of her year-long relationship with Kev. He'd been wonderful, mostly, but if there was something she couldn't have in her life, it was a cheater. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Maybe it was the thrill – the idea of being with someone else that had led him to do it. Or maybe he'd been right all along – it'd been the alcohol. Either way, she hadn't forgiven him…she wondered if she'd see him today, if she'd allow herself to let go. It was in the past, after all…

"Ah ha!" Annie exclaimed, finally finding the perfect item. If there was one thing that drove Auggie into practical frustration, it was silk lingerie. Even though he couldn't see her in it, he'd told her that it made his imagination go wild – plus there was always the added bonus of the texture of the fabric. Smooth and wonderful, this one had been hiding in the back of her closet for at least a month now.

So she could be a vixen sometimes – if she needed to be. But true seductress? Never. If she were really that skilled, she was sure that she would've been whisked away to seventh floor secrecy by now.

However, she didn't want that. She was ambitious, sure, but she wasn't going to leave the people in her life for a "better" position. She wanted to stay with Auggie. She was happy with him.

And that was enough for her.

* * *

><p>Her plan of seduction had been a great giant failure. Instead, Auggie had insisted on talking to her. Figuring out why she wanted <em>this<em> so much. Enough to pull out mighty weapons in her arsenal.

"Why? Annie, just give me an answer….that's all I want." He sighed and had sat down on their living room couch. This was _not_ going according to plan. Damn. Annie sighed, but grabbed her robe from the back of the bedroom door, slipping it on. If they were going to have a conversation, she wasn't planning on being half-naked.

She pursed her lips and thought for a second. She had two options…lie, or tell him the truth.

Opening her mouth, she decided on the former. "I–" Her voice caught in her throat. She couldn't lie to him. She loved him. And although white lies weren't unusual, this was a monumental kind of lie that broken relationships start with.

"I'm sorry…I almost lied to you," a lump was forming in her throat, but it wasn't one that was before crying. This was something else. "Please…don't expect me to always be good and kind and loving. There are times when I will be cold and thoughtless…and hard to understand." She paused, her heart feeling suddenly lighter admitting that. She hadn't known she was bearing so much resentment in her heart towards herself because of her foolish plan.

With that Auggie had come closer, pulling her into his strong and warm arms, embracing her, letting her know that he was here _for_ her. Annie sighed. "I just want a little piece of my own," Annie admitted, fully aware she was being rather vague.

He nodded, simply accepting her response. She didn't need to elaborate if she didn't want to. However, she wanted to.

"I feel like everybody in your life has a piece of Auggie before Iraq. Even some of the DPD people like Joan – they knew you before and they know you now. I don't have that. You're enough, and I'm lucky that I have you in my life…but is it so wrong of me to want to know the Auggie that once was?"

Silence. Annie looked up, and saw Auggie tense up, clearly not wanting to talk about it. Nevertheless, a second later, he sighed.

"Well, clearly, I'm not going to be able to convince you otherwise…so," he sighed again. "We'll go. If it makes you happy, we can go to my stupid reunion."

"Won't comment on that last part, but thank you," Annie smiled, embracing him once more, snuggling into his warmth.

Auggie's deft and nimble fingers meanwhile worked on the tie to her robe. She giggled when his fingertips made contact with her bare skin.

Leaning down, he whispered into her ear. "Now, let's see what kind of seduction you were planning…"

However, as soon as he felt the silk she was wearing, in one quick movement without warning, she was thrown over his shoulder as he led them to their bedroom.

* * *

><p><em>Present day…<em>

Annie grumbled as she took another sip of her drink. The only problem with it was that it was non-alcoholic since she was the driver for the night.

But after meeting these pretentious people…Annie took another swig, and wished that she could at least have a little bit of alcohol. Just to be able to deal with these…_assholes_.

It was true. Although Annie had had fun the first part of the night – slideshows, stories, videos, from the past years, upon the open reception, people had rushed to Auggie, asking him all sorts of questions about being blind. He was receiving the sympathy that he never wanted.

And it was making Annie furious. No wonder he hadn't wanted to come to this stupid reunion. These people were jerks! They clearly didn't know when to be discreet in their questions, nor when to stop. Even when Auggie had gotten uncomfortable, they hadn't stopped. Even now, as she held his hand tightly and was nestled into his arms, people were still approaching him; they were asking him intrusive and, in Annie's opinion, completely silly questions.

Worst of all was the reunion coordinator, a woman by the name of Betty ("Betty Francis," she'd introduced herself) – her questions were completely ignorant, and absolutely rude. "So," she started again as Annie resisted gritting her teeth. Her voice was probably the most annoying thing about her (besides the nagging to her husband, of course)…if Annie had to compare it to anything, it sounded like a thousand nails being dragged against chalkboards.

She was exaggerating, of course, but this woman drove her mad. And apparently she'd been voted "Most Liked" in high school. How Betty had accomplished this feat was still a mystery to Annie.

"Aug," she continued.

"Auggie," he corrected. Clearly this woman annoyed him too, as he squeezed Annie's hand a little bit tighter. "Only…" he cleared his throat, obviously resisting trying to make an intelligent quip that would fall on deaf ears. "Certain people in my life are allowed to call me that."

Betty rolled her eyes (as if Annie couldn't see her), and shook her head slightly. "If you don't mind me asking," she leaned in, clearly trying to keep this quiet. Annie almost sighed, but managed to hold it in. _Yes, he probably does mind. As do I…_ she thought, trying to contain her mean words at a minimum.

"How do you two….I mean, you know…get together…?" She was clearly finished. Annie stared at Betty, completely shocked at her question. Of all the ignorant things to say, this was pushing the line. Not only was she intruding their personal lives, but she was judging Auggie!

Annie looked up at Auggie and saw his scrunched eyebrows and tense posture. "Listen, Betty," Annie intervened before Aug did something he'd regret. "We're just going to…not answer that."

"Oh! So you two don't!" She exclaimed, her voice going up another octave. This was a million times worse than trying to take a group photo with the overbearing woman. How in the hell her husband put up with her was Annie's primary question.

"No, Betty," Annie continued. "We're just walking away." With that, the couple turned their backs on Betty Francis, and Annie almost had to drag Auggie away from her.

"I swear, I feel like punching her," he murmured, once they were far enough out of earshot.

"Honey, you're not the only one. I swear, if I could throttle her, just once, just to see her stupid face after a fistful of my vengeance –"

"Babe, you're kind of scaring me," he said, laughter on the edge of his voice. "But in the good way, of course," he leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Want to get out of here?"

"Of course I do." She responded easily. "But!" She exclaimed happily as they made their way towards the exit. "I did get my own little piece of Auggie Anderson, nerd extraordinaire!"

"You're never going to let that go, are you?" He chuckled at her giddiness.

"Nope! Never! Plus that video of you trying to moonwalk was absolutely priceless. Even if that little miss Betty Francis," Annie pushed her voice higher forcefully, before she laughed. "Was completely ignorant and rude."

A moment of comfortable silence fell between the couple. Annie leaned against his arm, taking in his masculine scent. She really couldn't get over how much she loved him, and how lucky she was to have him love her back.

"I love you," he whispered into her hair while she dug through her purse for the keys to their rental.

"Love you too," she answered back, a smile on her features. Despite everything, and even with animosity towards the "Most Liked" in Auggie's high school, it had been _completely_ worth it.

"In fact, when we get back home…why don't we dig through my old albums. You can see post-geek me, in all my glory days," he chuckled.

"Oh babe…I don't think there ever was a non-geeky version of yourself," Annie retorted.

Auggie sighed, but didn't respond, knowing it was true. And as they made their way to their hotel, Annie whispered into the night. "Thanks for bringing me."

"Always." He responded, just as quietly back.

And of course, Annie would resort to her wily womanly ways most days to get what she wanted from him, but in the end, the journey and the adventure was _always_ worth it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: All right, this chapter's a bit long overdue! But I had so much trouble with some of the interactions that a block formed! Sad day indeed. But I have powered through it! And in even better news, the next chapter is almost done, and boy, it's a long one! :)**

**Additionally, I have spring break next week! I'll be spending the week in California (in fact, my flight is tomorrow!), but I will definitely find some time to pull myself away from the sun just to update for you lovelies!**

**Please take the time to read or review, or both! It's always awesome to hear some encouragement from readers, plus it makes for a happy muse. And a happy muse means better and/or faster updates! So give that button below some love! ;)**

**-Audrey  
><strong>

**P.S. I would like to give a shout-out to all the anonymous reviewers out there! (Logged in reviewers...well, you know from my constant gushing how much I adore you all!) You guys are absolutely awesome, even if I can't respond and tell you personally. All of you...stay awesome! **


	15. Hope

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Fifteen: Hope**

"Shit!"

Annie slammed the top dresser drawer shut and put her head in her hands. She tried taking deep breaths. She tried convincing herself that it was here somewhere. She tried mentally retracing her steps. Nothing was working.

Her cell phone rang for the millionth time that day. Ever since she had finished her last mission, she seemed to spend more time on the phone than anything else. Flights to be made, connections, secrets to be kept. Her mind was winding from it all. And she had barely started her day.

"Hello?"

"Annie? Is it true?" A voice very much like her own chirped through the phone. It was Annie's sister. The last one to call. Probably because she didn't know how to work the new laptop Annie got her as a birthday present two weeks ago.

"No, Dani, everything's fine. I'm not going to be trapped in this godforsaken city another second." Annie answered with a weary sigh. She glanced at the clock. She was supposed to be on a plane to Washington D.C. in three hours. She wasn't packed. Or in her right mind, but that was a whole other story.

"Well, I'd hope you'd tell me if you'd need somewhere to stay or you're going to go backpacker style and spend the night in the airport–"

"First of all, calm down! I already told you I'm not spending another second in Paris. Stupid city. I hate France." That was a lie. Annie was ranting. And at the wrong person, and blaming the wrong things. She should've been yelling at herself. So she apologized to her sister, promised that she'd be home (and _safely_, of course), and hung up. Biting a thumbnail, Annie turned toward her open laptop. It was mocking her.

"Might as well read what everyone is saying," she said aloud before striding over to the laptop and checking the weather. She clicked on the first link that read, "Biggest snow storm of the year?" It was in French, and it was then that Annie realized how handy it was to be fluent in so many languages. She skimmed, and read the terrible forecast.

Annie looked at the pictures depicting the cold front approaching Paris, and stared at it in confusion. How the hell meteorologists figured this stuff out was anybody's guess. Maybe that's why they were wrong so often…

Skimming over the article, Annie realized the terribly foreboding words they were using. And if they were right, she could be stranded in the country for another few days, at least.

"What the hell? This is so stupid!" Annie yelled at the screen before pushing away from her desk. In any other situation, she would've laughed. She had the terrible habit of blaming inanimate objects for anything wrong, or even talking to objects at any given moment of the day. Of course, when she was like this ("in one of her moods", Auggie would call it), he was always quick to offer a shoulder rub or reassuring words. He kept her at her best, and Annie would always be grateful for that.

Annie had been dropped off in Paris for a quick switch. It was simple, really – nothing dramatic, no gunshots to be had – but of course, before participating in any missions, she'd always been known to remove her engagement ring. In part, it helped to be going to Paris, of all the cities in the world – she could easily say that she was intercepting artwork with the Louvre, or something equally convincing. However, the morning of the flight, she'd panicked around the apartment, packing quickly and efficiently, but in the process, something had happened.

Maybe it was just her awful luck when it came to traveling. Every single time she had landed in France, some earth-shattering disaster happened. Like a few years ago, when she'd landed here – a lovely volcano had managed to disrupt air travel, and that'd just been an awful mess.

The problem was though, that she hadn't realized she didn't have her ring until she'd arrived in the safe house – that meant that anywhere from the office in Langley to their apartment, to the safe house - all of those locations were fair game. But of one thing she was sure – it wasn't at the airport where she'd lost it. Either she'd had that ring placed firmly on her finger, or it was back in Washington. At least, that's what she'd convinced herself of.

"Why did I lose my ring!?" Annie yelled out in the empty house. She checked the clock again. She had to leave soon. Auggie was in Langley, of course, working his butt off. However, with their relatively recent engagement and after some convincing, they'd both gotten off two days and the weekend to properly celebrate Annie had planned on being together every single day, plus the days off for some quality time with her fiancé.

The word "fiancé" brought a smile to Annie's face, despite the missing engagement ring situation. Auggie was her betrothed. Her one. She had known that awhile ago, but when he had asked her to marry him, Annie felt everything shift. She was about to become a wife. She wanted to intertwine herself with Auggie in every sense of the word. Legally. Emotionally. In front of friends and family.

And the ring, that beautiful ring, was a symbol of all of those new feelings. And Annie had lost it. Between kissing Auggie goodbye last Saturday and waking up early Sunday morning for her flight, her ring had disappeared. Was it in their apartment, where she had spent the morning after he left because the bed smelled like him? Was it at her office, where she had come in before her flight to get some work done to take her mind off missing Auggie? Or somewhere in her own luggage, where she had been looking for the past three hours? Perhaps in the stupid safe house where she'd spent the last three days trapped?

Annie flopped back on her bed and closed her eyes. She needed to go to her happy place. And right now, that happy place was back in July, during a week long vacation to Santa Barbara, to visit her sister. One of her happiest Auggie memories (thus far) had taken place there, and she couldn't help but open her wallet to reveal the trinket – further placing her into the calm memories of beautiful California beaches and sunshine.

* * *

><p><em>July...<em>

"_Auggie, is your ass getting bigger or are these photo booths getting smaller? Move over, please," Annie said with a shove to his shoulder. Auggie winced but slid down the bench a fraction of an inch. In reality, Annie was ecstatic that he'd agreed to a "lame" (his words) photo-booth couple shot. And though he couldn't really appreciate them, she definitely would enough for both of them._

"_Maybe it's your ass, babe. You should move over."_

_And with that, Auggie slid hard and fast over to her side, almost knocking the wind out of her._

"_Ow! First you insult my ass then you bruise it. Why do I keep you around?"_

"_Because you love me."_

"_Not right now I don't."_

"_Well, that's okay. I have a feeling that your love isn't as gone as you claim," Auggie said, laughing as Annie fed the machine two dollars – two copies, traditional for Annie. Except this time she'd be keeping both copies. Maybe she'd frame one for around the house..._

"_Smile!" She said between clenched teeth. Annie was still sore from Auggie's bench slide, but she smiled anyway. After the flash (Annie telling him so), Auggie buried his face into her neck and started blowing raspberries on her skin. She laughed at the tickling sensation. But her laughter was soon swallowed by Auggie's mouth on hers. Between the bruising, the laughing, and the suffocating kiss, Annie's head was starting to swim._

_When Auggie finally pulled back, her chest was heaving in an effort to catch her breath. He smiled at her and wrapped a hand around her neck, pushing their foreheads together._

"_I love you. Do you love me?"_

"_Of course, Aug. I love you more every day."_

"_Good. That's what I thought."_

_Another kiss. This one longer and more passionate. Annie opened her eyes to glance at her fiancé curiously, wondering why Auggie was being so urgent and serious in the middle of a boardwalk. It's not like he was asking her to marry him all over again. And even though it would've been nice to be proposed in a photo booth, she wouldn't trade how and where he'd proposed for anything. _

"_Auggie, did you drink any energy drinks this morning? You know how that stuff makes you wired." She had to ask. _

"_I'm all hopped up on my love for you, Annie."_

"_Wow. That was awful. But I still appreciate your love," Annie said before putting her hands over Auggie's to stop his constant drumming. He started running his hands up and down her legs, keeping his movements relatively slow so as to not drive Annie insane. Annie rested her back against the wall of the photo booth and sighed happily at his soothing motions. Auggie's voice broke through her relaxed haze a minute later._

"_Remember when I asked you to marry me at Anthony's wedding?"_

"_You mean the wedding that was only last month? Ha! How could I forget? Anthony was so mad that you just shouted that out."_

"_Well, do you remember what you said?"_

"_I said yes. Because I know I'm going to marry you someday. I just wasn't expecting a marriage proposal in the middle of my walk down the aisle," she answered with another laugh. Auggie had caught her off guard when he had shouted at her from his stance next to Anthony. She was more focused on not tripping on her way up there than on the fact that her boyfriend just asked to marry her. And they didn't speak of it again after it happened._

_Until now. Why was Auggie bringing it up? Just because they were on a vacation didn't mean that work was any less hectic. In fact, Joan had been reluctant to give them these days off, however, she'd ultimately decided that the couple needed a break. Especially after their engagement. And even though they'd somewhat talked about marriage after his impromptu proposal, she knew something much more formal would come later. How much later, however, she hadn't been sure. In fact, she'd been completely taken aback after he proposed a short month later. But why bring this up now if he'd already proposed (in fact, she was wearing her ring now), and if she'd already said yes? Annie was about to voice her thoughts when Auggie grabbed her right hand and placed a kiss to her wrist._

"_I meant it. When I asked you to marry me. I do want you to be my wife. And I want to have kids with you and I want to build a life with you. I meant all those things. Whatever you want for your future, I want it too."_

"_Auggie, I-"_

"_You're my best friend, Annie. I still can't believe that you chose to love me, but I'm so glad you did. My life is better with you in it. And I promise, PROMISE, that I will try to make the rest of your life better, too."_

"_You do make my life better," Annie choked out in a whisper. _

_And even though she understood the meaning behind their conversation, Annie didn't comment any further. For now, she wouldn't worry about anything going on at work, or in her personal life (that didn't involve Auggie), or any other matter in the world._

_For now, she was just happy to kiss Auggie. Her fiancé._

* * *

><p>Annie's cell phone ringing from the empty and old-looking desk interrupted her happy flashback. She groaned and lifted her body off the bed to answer it. It was Auggie.<p>

"So, breaking our date, huh? You could've called first," he said teasingly. Annie smiled despite being completely stressed out. He always made her feel better.

"I'm sorry. I bet people have been telling you about the stupid storm even though it hasn't started snowing...I've been getting tons of phone calls."

"Hmm…no worries, soon you'll be back home, and we can snuggle…and that can lead to other, _very_ adult activities," he trailed off, his voice low. Annie would've swooned, but she was reminded of her current predicament.

"Stop it. You can't say stuff like that when you're on the other side of the globe," Annie interrupted hastily. Auggie let out a sexy little chuckle.

"Well, you'll be over here soon. Isn't your flight leaving in about two hours?"

"Yeah, I'm working on it. I'm all packed and everything."

"Okay. Well, I have to get off the phone," Auggie said over the sound of some car doors slamming. He was always on the go. Annie hoped one day they could both slow down together. That's what marriage was for, anyway. And if she could find that stupid ring everything would be fine. Auggie, of course, seemed to read her mind.

"By the way, the jeweler called and asked how the ring was fitting. In case he needed to make another adjustment…"

"Oh. Um, it fits perfectly now. I, umm…"

"You sound worried. Did you lose it?"

Annie's heart leapt into her throat, thinking how hurt Auggie would be if she told him that she had lost her one of a kind, expensive symbol of his commitment to her. Of their commitment to each other. She swallowed harshly, and decided to do something she never, ever did anymore.

She lied to Auggie.

"No, I didn't lose it. Don't be silly. I took it off for this mission…and I'll have it back on before our dinner date tomorrow night. Besides, I slip it off at night too – I left it at home before my flight, just to be safe. You know how I can't function when I get up that early."

A perfectly delivered lie. Her voice did not waver. And Auggie bought it.

"Yeah, you are useless in the morning. Well, I hope you make your flight, babe. I can't wait to see you, future Mrs. Anderson. I love you!"

"I love you, too. See you soon."

After she hung up, the adrenaline from telling the excellent lie ran out, and the despair set in. If she didn't find that ring in the next hour, she'd have to leave without it. Unless she changed her flight to give herself more time. But then she'd see Auggie later and he would start asking questions. But she could just say her flight _had _to be changed due to the storm and–

No. No more lies. She had to leave in an hour at the latest. She quickly did the mental math. That gave her an hour to search the stupid safe house, and when she landed, it'd be two. An hour (with good luck and mellow traffic), she could make it to the apartment to tear it apart. But she also had to search her office. And that was at least another half hour to an hour plus searching time…

Crap.

* * *

><p>An hour and no ring found later, Annie had to get in a car and head to the airport. She was cutting it close on time, and if she missed her flight and got there later than planned, Auggie would definitely start asking questions. Although, since she was coming without a ring, he'd probably dump her for lying and being a careless bitch about his love for her. Just swell.<p>

The good news when Annie finally boarded was she could finally relax, at least a little bit. The bad news was she had a whole lot of time to freak out about not wearing her ring. After a fitful and restless night full of tossing and turning, she figured they had to be close to Washington by now.

She pulled out a book, one that she had read twenty times already, pushed her headphones in her ears and tried to let Ray LaMontagne drown out her panicked thoughts.

It was no use. The book was wonderful and the music was soothing, but all Annie could think about was how Auggie's face would fall when she told him she lost her ring. Probably for good. She didn't even remember when she lost it, so it's not like she could retrace her steps. How could she be so careless? This past weekend, she had been so preoccupied with meeting with Joan and getting ready for the mission and her flight and a thousand other little things.

Annie put her head back and closed her eyes, willing the ring to show up on her finger when she opened them back up. Then she started preparing her apology for lying and for losing the ring. Auggie would forgive her, she knew that, but oh, it definitely wouldn't be easy. He'd be so hurt.

Annie didn't remember falling asleep, but suddenly she was being poked in the arm. And she forgot where she was and mumbled out the first thought that came to her brain.

"Auggie. Stop. I don't want to make you food right now."

Poke.

"Ma'am?"

A voice. Definitely not Auggie's. Annie slowly opened her eyes to see a middle aged woman smiling at her from one seat over. Above her, a flight attendant hovered with a beverage cart. Annie groggily shook her head. After the flight attendant moved the cart to coach, the middle aged woman gave her an apologetic shrug.

"I didn't know if you wanted to be woken up. One time this man yelled when he realized he slept through the beverage service and I didn't wake him up. Another time some teenager yelled when I did wake her up for drinks. It's a roll of the dice when the cart comes down the aisle, really," she explained to Annie.

"Well, I'm not going to yell. Thanks for waking me up, though. I didn't even realize I fell asleep."

"You're welcome. Can I also just say I love your purse?" she said before reaching over to touch Annie's purse sitting in the middle seat between them. Annie smiled a big smile, finally awake so she could jump at the chance to talk about her shopping habit.

"Thanks! It's nice enough, but not _too_ nice, so it's perfect for traveling. It's huge but, I just love it," Annie gushed while smoothing her hand across her over-sized tote. The woman gave a wave of her hand.

"Oh, honey. If it's not big enough to carry all your crap and a hardcover book, I don't want it!"

"I agree. Completely."

"The only downside is the kind of stuff that gets lost in the bottom. Lip gloss. Cell phones. Jewelry. Pens and–"

Annie's eyes lit up when she heard "jewelry". The woman jumped back in surprise when Annie smacked herself in the forehead and then quickly overturned her purse to dump everything out on the empty middle seat between them.

"What on earth..."

Annie ignored her and started rummaging through the pile of stuff. Receipts. Three kinds of chap stick. Half-full packs of gum. Her to-do list. A book, of course. Spare headphones. Floss. Spare pennies.

"C'mon. C'mon," Annie muttered while sweeping aside an envelope with an address on it. And there, next to her antibacterial hand gel, was her bright and shiny engagement ring. Annie thought she might cry out from relief. Instead, she just snatched it up and slipped it on her left ring finger, kissing the diamond and holding her hand over her heart.

"Oh. Oh, thank you. Thank you thank you thank you!"

"I assume you thought you had lost that?" the woman asked.

"Yes. I had been looking all over for it and I didn't even think...I mean, I guess I should've looked in the purse first, but...I always lose stuff in there. It must have slipped off my finger when I was digging around in it over the weekend. Oh, God! I am so happy we started talking about my purse! Thank you!" Annie semi-yelled at the woman next to her. She laughed in response and extended her hand.

"You are welcome. I'm Sharon, by the way."

"Annie. Nice to meet you. And you just saved my relationship!"

"I don't know about that, honey."

"Yes. See, I told my fiancé that I didn't lose my ring and I'm flying home to him and he would've just known I was without the ring and knew I lied and he would've been hurt and–"

"Okay, deep breaths. You are talking a mile a minute. You sound like my little girl."

Annie laughed and leaned back in her seat, taking a moment to close her eyes, relax, and mentally order her chest to stop tightening in panic. She had the ring. It was on her finger. She was going to super glue the damn thing to her skin this time. Instinctively, she reached down to touch it. Annie's eyes flew open in surprise when she felt another hand instead of her ring. It was just Sharon admiring it.

"That is some ring. I'm surprised they didn't make you check this before boarding," Sharon said with a little chuckle. Annie blushed. The ring was a bit extravagant, and she was still getting used to the attention it brought when it sat on her finger.

"Thank you. It was quite a surprise when he proposed. I mean, I knew I wanted to marry him but I just didn't think he'd ask so suddenly," Annie admitted while fiddling with the ring. She glanced over at Sharon's left hand, and saw a modest solitaire diamond on a gold band, with a matching gold wedding ring.

"You better get used to the unexpected if you're getting married. Believe that," Sharon said with a laugh. Annie bit her lip to smother a question, but in the end, she decided to trust the kind stranger and blurt it out.

"Have you ever lied to your husband?"

Sharon blinked in surprise at the question. Annie lowered her eyes, feeling ashamed to voice her fears out loud. Sharon cleared her throat and turned toward Annie completely.

"Well, that depends what you think constitutes a lie. Have I told my husband that he isn't too old to wear a backwards baseball cap even though he clearly is? Yes. Have I neglected to tell him that our daughter's first date was with a junior, and not another freshman? Yes. And when he asks me if I spent 300 dollars on groceries and I spent $350, I usually round down and say yes. You know, to save his blood pressure. So, if you consider those lies, then sure, I've lied to my husband."

"Yeah, but you did those for a reason. Those are white lies out of love."

"Perhaps. But they're still lies. I think what you're asking is something different."

Annie twirled her engagement ring around her finger, thinking of Auggie's sweet smile and trusting eyes. It made her ache to be away from him, even when she was going toward him. Did she really need to tarnish their time together by bringing up a lie that didn't matter now?

"Auggie asked me if I lost my ring, and I said no. I just told him I had forgotten to put it on some mornings–"

"If I had a ring like that, I'd have it sewn onto my finger," Sharon interrupted with a laugh.

"And he bought it. I felt awful," Annie moaned pitifully. Sharon nodded in understanding.

"So, what you're really asking is: is it okay to lie to the ones you love?"

"I mean, I've told those little white lies to friends before–"

"Then why are you worried?"

Annie bit her lip and shrugged. She could only come up with one answer.

"He'll be my husband."

Sharon smiled at her response. A knowing smile.

"Annie, I'm not telling you to keep things from..."

"Auggie."

"From Auggie. But sometimes, those little lies are healthy for the marriage. I'm sure John–that's my husband, has kept things from me. He never once told me that I was anything but beautiful when I was pregnant. And I was a fat, sweaty mess. Marriage-ending lie? No. Am I happy he kept the truth from me? You bet. See, you'll be part of a team when you become Mrs. ..."

"Anderson."

"When you become Mrs. Anderson, you are a part of a team. And you'll have to pick your battles. And honestly? Telling Auggie you lost your ring is a fight that can be avoided, and should be avoided. It'll only hurt him, and create a fight that just isn't necessary."

The captain came on just then and announced they were descending. Both Annie and Sharon started shutting down their electronics and packing their bags away. While Sharon was struggling with her laptop, Annie thought about their conversation and white lies.

Annie and Auggie always worked hard to communicate, because so much of their relationship was about secrecy with the rest of their families. Communication was a must.

Annie laughed quietly to herself when she put Auggie and herself in Sharon's examples. Would Auggie be wearing his geeky t-shirts and worn down jeans when he was 50? And if he did, what would Annie tell him if he asked if he was too old for them? If those shirts and too worn jeans made Auggie happy, she would let him wear them until he was buried in them.

On the flip side, if Annie was a sweaty, bloated behemoth while she carried Auggie's child, would she want Auggie to tell her that? No, she'd want Auggie to tell her she was as beautiful as the day they'd met. Always. Annie turned to Sharon and smiled.

"Thanks for talking with me. I guess it just hit me that this is going to be a marriage. Not a relationship anymore. We'll be building a life together, and I don't need to hurt Auggie to relieve guilt. We will have more important things to focus on."

"Exactly. Trust me, they'll be enough to fight about with relying on yourselves to stir up trouble," Sharon responded with a slow head shake. Annie leaned back in her seat to watch their arrival to Washington D.C. out the window. She felt better.

Annie and Sharon de-boarded together, chatting casually about the city and their significant others. Annie got her phone out and composed a text message to Auggie saying she landed safely.

"So, you say your family is meeting you here?" Annie asked as she read over the response from Auggie. He was at work (of course), and he, out of curiosity, had read the forecast for Paris – sure enough, their biggest snowstorm (thus far) was beginning. He also mentioned that he'd meet her at dinner later that evening and Annie sighed in relief.

"Yep. This is home, after all. And there he is!"

Sharon waved at a man with salt and pepper hair and a handsome smile about twenty feet in front of them.

"I better let you go," Annie suggested, and with a smile and proper goodbye, she said farewell to Sharon, who had just possibly saved her entire existence with a quick compliment to her purse.

After claiming her luggage, Annie walked outside and looked for the car that was supposed to pick her up. Noting that a sign only said 'Annie' in neat letters, she figured this was her. The gentleman who was driving helped her get her stuff inside the trunk, and upon opening the door, gasped – Auggie was here.

Of course. He wrapped his arms around Annie from behind while the driver started pulling away from the curb.

"Hey, Annie," Auggie whispered into her hair. Annie's heart finally stopped racing from his surprise appearance, but only picked up speed again as Auggie started nuzzling her neck. She reached back and put a palm to his cheek.

"Hello, love. What are you doing here? I thought you were at work?"

"I lied," Auggie answered gleefully. She grinned at his ironic choice of words, given the serious conversation she just had on the plane.

"I'm glad you came to meet me here. I missed you."

"I've missed you, too. That's why I convinced Joan to let me go early, so I could come get you."

"Wow, you never use your powers of persuasion on Joan. At least, not for things like little old me," Annie teased before pushing away and laying her legs across his lap. She stretched her cramped muscles. Sitting on a plane for hours on end was not good for her lower half.

"Well, you are not just a little thing to me. You are the most important thing. You might be old, however..."

"Shush. You're older than me anyways," Annie grumbled.

"Ah, my ray of sunshine. I love you," Auggie said with a grin. He reached for her left hand and when he found it, squeezed it lovingly. Auggie's fingers dug into her ring and his entire face lit up.

"Hey! You found it!"

"Yep, I sure did. It was in my...wait. How–"

"How did I know you lost your ring instead of believing your lame excuse? Because I know _you_, Annie."

Annie's throat closed up in a panic. She forgot to swallow. She forgot to breathe. He knew. Of course he knew. Auggie let go of her hand and continued explaining.

"You never once forgot to put on the other ring I bought you, because you said your finger felt naked without it after wearing it nonstop for a couple weeks. I figured the same thing for your engagement ring. Either you had it on your finger, or you were sleeping. Simple as that."

"But–"

"I mean, we live together, Annie. I know your morning routines. Morning after morning, you wake up, yell at the alarm clock, push off my advances for morning sex, and then put the ring on your finger. It became part of your routine."

"I–"

"So when you weren't wearing it, even after the mission was over, I knew you either lost it or didn't want to marry me. Now, we all know it couldn't be that you didn't want to marry me..."

"Of course not, Mr. Modest."

"So, you had to have lost it."

Annie didn't meet Auggie's eyes after he finished talking, though she could feel his gaze on her. She felt awful. Not only had he completely seen through her lie, but now all the terrible things Annie had feared would happen were coming true. Auggie knew he lost her engagement ring. Auggie knew she lied. She felt herself getting very emotional all of a sudden, even though Auggie didn't seem too mad.

"I'm sorry, Auggie," she whispered as tears started forming in the corner of her eyes. She was supposed to be preparing for a marriage, not lying to her fiancé. They weren't even married yet and already she was failing. She tried to remember what Sharon had told her on the plane, about white lies and becoming a team. It didn't work. Annie still felt terrible.

"Hey, it's okay, Annie. I know you lied to me to spare my feelings, not to hurt me. If it makes you feel any better, I lost the watch you got me for my birthday for about a week last year."

"What?" Annie asked incredulously. She had given him that watch the first birthday he had had while being best friends. He never took it off. It was practically second skin to him. He lost it?

"See? It hurts you to know that, and you don't need to be. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd be upset. And it wasn't worth making you upset or starting a fight. Don't worry, I found it. It was stuck with one of my sweaters. And you never knew because you were trekking across the globe and I was here. No harm, no foul."

"Wow. Even though you found it my heart...it definitely still hurts at the thought of you losing it," Annie breathed out while clutching her chest. Auggie smiled sadly at her.

"That's how I felt when I figured out you lost your ring. But, it's not like you did it on purpose. There was literally no reason to yell at you or be mad at you. And you lied, sure. But it was because you loved me. Most couples might not see it that way–"

"But we are not like most couples," she finished for him. Auggie's smile stretched across his face and he leaned forward to kiss her. Annie was so happy that she had Auggie, someone who understood they were becoming a team and someone who loved her enough to accept her white lies and deliver his own. Her happiness got the best of her, and soon enough, she was crushing her lips to Auggie's eagerly. Roughly. Passionately. And Auggie was being borderline inappropriate with his hands, given that they were not alone. His right hand slipped under her shirt, and began inching up her side.

"We're here!" The driver announced suddenly, as if he knew what was going on, and Auggie groaned, releasing his grip on her. Sure enough, they were in Langley.

"I told Joan I'd only be gone for an hour, two tops – I skipped lunch too, so that's why I'm stuck here until 5…but once you're done debriefing, you can go home," Auggie explained.

"Do I have to go home?" she asked before scooting closer to Auggie. He kissed her on her forehead, on her nose, and then on her mouth.

"Yeah. You know how Joan is about those debriefings and then making agents leave. But once you get settled and unpacked at the apartment, I'll be done with everything by then."

"Okay, I'm gonna take a nap–"

"Shocking."

"Jet lag," Annie retorted quickly, pausing to yawn as well. "I'll see you soon. Oh, and thanks for being so understanding about the ring and everything. You are an amazing fiancé. And I promise, I will not let this ring leave my finger again."

"I believe you," he responded, pressing another kiss to her forehead as they started heading inside the secured building.

Annie replied pressed a kiss to the corner of Auggie's mouth just Joan was meeting them up front. She leaned forward to pat him on the shoulder, and headed off with Joan. Auggie gave her one last smile, and got out his cane.

"Love you," he whispered to her as Joan was escorting Annie away.

"Love you, too," Annie whispered back. Even though Joan heard it, she said nothing. Sure enough, as Auggie had said, after debriefing, she had rushed her to get home and to rest.

While driving home, Annie thought about Auggie, thanking her lucky stars that she would be marrying someone who understood everything about her. And he would always understand her. She knew it.

She had the ring to prove it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello lovely readers! As usual, this update is a little bit late (oops!), but of course, I had a lovely spring break, and although I wasn't able to post this chapter right away, I did churn it out with some free time here and there. Can I say that I already miss the warm weather? Don't get me wrong - I love New York, but it ain't no sunny California! ;)**

**Let me know what you all thought of this chapter, whether it's a criticism or a glowing review! Just click that little button that's begging for some love. :)**

**-Audrey**


	16. Question

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Sixteen: Question**

Setting her keys down on the foyer table loudly, Annie's sigh matched her actions. She rubbed at her neck – sore from the long flight. Worse of all, she hadn't seen Auggie in nearly three weeks. And after her debriefing, in which she usually stopped by his office and the duo went to lunch, Joan had demanded that she go home and rest.

However, Annie knew that Joan had her reasons for everything and from the concerned tone in her voice after ordering her home, she was positive that something was amiss. The foyer looked as it had always looked. Clean, smelling of the lemon and orange cleaner that Annie used on the wooden tables to keep them shining.

_Okay_, she thought. _So far so good._

The living room was the same. Everything was in its place and there was a place for everything. The worry that was knotting in her stomach eased up a little. Maybe Joan had just been concerned for _her_ wellbeing. Nearly three weeks on a mission didn't do anybody any favors. And truth be told, Annie was tired – surely from the pile of work she'd had to do in Russia.

She was thankful it'd been Russia though. Communication had never been a problem there. Plus, with her golden hair and fair skin, she fit in fine – in her former years, her novice Russian had given her away; nowadays, she could easily claim she'd lived there her entire life and no one would question it.

However, just when she was going to walk into their bedroom, Annie's eye caught something. Two empty tissue boxes, resting on their coffee table. They were completely empty, yet there was no trace of any used tissues to be found.

_Strange_, she thought, but it wasn't overly concerning, she decided after pondering a few seconds. Despite her gut feeling, Annie continued, walking to the doorway to the master bedroom. Before opening the door, however, Annie heard a slight hissing noise.

"Hmm," she hummed, almost silently to herself. She listened again, making sure it wasn't just a simple figment of her worried imagination. Sure enough, the slight hissing noise returned a quick second later.

Knocking carefully on the door before opening it (Annie had learned _that_ lesson the hard way when they were still just friends), she heard a muffled noise that sounded…like Auggie?

"Aug, honey, can I come in?" She asked tentatively as the hissing noise continued. Hopefully he heard her over that bizarre noise.

"Come in," he croaked, his voice barely audible over the room's noises.

With silent footsteps, Annie walked inside their bedroom and encountered a rather bedridden and terrible looking Auggie.

His hair was matted to his forehead, probably from his own sweat, and his nose was bright red. His eyes were closed, almost as if he were asleep, but Annie would place a ten dollar bet that he was incredibly tired and unable to get any sleep. Three empty tissue boxes resided on the floor, and the rubbish bin was overflowing with his tossed tissues.

"Babe," Annie whispered, careful just in case he _had_ managed to fall asleep in the minute she'd taken to inspect the room.

"Mmm?" He muttered. "Annie?" He groaned. She sighed, but figured that if Joan had urged her to go home, _this_ was the reason why. Auggie was sick. And it didn't look like some measly flu that he'd get over fairly quickly. No, this was something way worse.

Annie continued taking in the room. Sure enough, as soon as she'd spotted a sick Auggie, she'd figured he'd dug out the humidifier; it was sitting neatly on his nightstand, everything clear of it except for the apparatus.

She couldn't just stand here and do nothing – so as efficiently as she could (without worrying about Auggie's ragged breathing, of course), she grabbed some rags and soaked them in cold water. At the first touch, Auggie started moving, clearly feeling the cold of the water.

"Good," Annie said. "That means your fever isn't as high as I thought it was," she continued. Placing another rag on his forehead, she went in search of a thermometer. She wasn't used to playing nurse. In fact, for most of her adult life, she'd watched Dani take that role. And before that, it had been her mother. Each of them, in conversations while tending for their respective sick (the girls, or Annie's father, respectively), had left little tidbits and home cures for the worst of ailments.

Her mind throbbed as she tried to recollect _something_, anything, really, that would help her now. But most of those memories were too far down the rabbit hole, and right now, she needed to tend to Auggie, not reminisce through childhood memories.

_"A cup of ginger tea, Annie, is best for bringing down fevers. Plus, with a little bit of honey, it doesn't taste too bad either."_

Perfect. Just when she wasn't looking for it, her subconscious had come through. Great advice from her mother. But first, she needed to take Auggie's temperature – if it was too high, it was definitely time for a doctor.

"Aug," Annie lightly shook him awake. "First, you need to get these blankets off of you," she said, while uncovering him gently. He had buried himself in their stash of winter blankets, at least three or four of them, and either he sweat the fever out, or he would contribute to it. In this case, Annie figured it'd be best not to try and sweat it out, especially if he'd already had this fever for more than a day.

He was only wearing boxers, and as soon as she removed the last blanket, he started shivering. Annie sighed, and grabbed the lightest blanket she could find, wrapping it around him. While it did practically nothing to ease the shivers, Annie knew that she couldn't offer him anything else.

"L-l-let me wrap m-myself…." Auggie mumbled out, his voice hoarse.

"Not happening, babe, sorry," Annie said, as she took the rest of the blankets and stashed them away. She could fold them later, perhaps if Auggie ever got some sleep. "Now, how long have you had your fever? Or better yet, how long have you been sick?"

"J-j-just a few days," he murmured, his shivers getting the best of him. "Fever only a f-f-few hours." Annie knew she couldn't make him talk anymore, not with his gravelly voice as terrible as it already was.

"All right. Have you been to a doctor? Shake yes or no," she instructed, as he shook his head 'no' wildly, as if trying to appease her quickly. "Honey," Annie almost started scolding, but she knew that wasn't what he needed now. "Okay, I'll do what I can to bring your fever down – if nothing works, then I'll have to take you to a doctor, okay?" He shook his head yes, and Annie took that as enough for a sign of consent.

She knew that he hated admitting he was "weak" enough to let a tiny virus affect him so terribly, but she often reminded him that he was human – not the bionic superman he wanted to be all the time. And although his blindness reminded him of that fact, he still wanted to be more – too much sometimes. If the stress from taking too much work had contributed to his shoddy condition, Annie would _definitely_ have to have a word with Joan about his workload. Without him knowing, of course.

She worried about him endlessly, even though in theory, she had no right to. But she loved him – that might have been her fatal flaw, or something equally dangerous. He had always insisted that he didn't deserve her, although Annie felt the opposite way. They weren't anything more serious than long-term boyfriend and girlfriend, and although they shared an apartment, it didn't guarantee anything. Not even a ring on her finger would guarantee a happy ending for the duo. Annie may have been a hopeless romantic at one point in her lifetime, but being burned by Ben had taught her otherwise.

The future wasn't assured by anything – not love, nor hate. Even if she loved Auggie so much that it hurt sometimes, it wouldn't change a thing if they fell out of love down the line. A government title wouldn't make things different – being Mrs. Anderson would only perhaps prevent the pain for a while, but if they were meant to be, then so be it. If not…well, Annie was depressing herself a bit with these thoughts, so she figured no more overanalyzing and thinking too much…for now. She could focus her energy and time unto Auggie.

Forcing him to keep still so long as to get a steady temperature, Annie managed to fold a blanket before the thermometer started beeping loudly. Auggie groaned, mumbling something along the lines of "not so loud" before lying back down to wrap himself around his one available blanket.

102.3 – not dangerous (yet), but not desirable either. She had to make a decision here – either get him into a lukewarm shower, or get him to a doctor's office. Turning to look at him, Annie sighed as she watched Auggie wrap himself up like a burrito. It would've been funny in any other situation but this. And the fact at hand here was that she wasn't going to be able to lead him to her car alone. Plus, she didn't know if the fever was having an effect on his judgments of space and ability to walk right.

Lukewarm shower it was. But first, that cup of ginger tea. And maybe some chicken noodle soup.

* * *

><p>After an hour in the kitchen of brewing, chopping, slicing, and preparing, Annie figured she had a decent "get well" kit arranged for Auggie.<p>

She had the cup of tea (sweetened just the way he liked it – which was, of course, too sweet, when it came to teas), and after much coaxing, she got him to drink the entire cup. She figured she'd have to wait a while to see if the ginger would help, so in the meantime, she got him a cup of apple juice, diluted with some water so the sugar wouldn't dehydrate him. Spoonful by spoonful, she practically force fed him the soup and made him drink the apple juice too.

A few words here and there, Annie had managed to extract that he hadn't eaten in two days, so she decided she would wait a few hours before force-feeding him again. He needed to stay hydrated and relatively healthy – otherwise, he'd only continue getting worse.

Taking his temperature again after he awoke from a two hour nap (a good meal had helped in that respect as well), only revealed it had gone down almost an entire degree. But not enough, she made her mind up. She needed to entice him into taking a cold shower…or, if she let him, into giving him a lukewarm bath. _Anything_ to get his stupid fever down.

"Sweetie, I need to get you into a bath…unless you want to take a shower?" She asked, and watched him as he shook his head no. "So…a bath?" He still shook his head no. Annie resisted the sigh forming, and figured she could sweet-talk him into cooperating.

"Babe…please?" A head shake. Annie was about to just force him out of bed, but even in his bedridden state, she knew he was still strong enough to resist her. Probably. Maybe he was sick enough that she could drag him into a bath.

Had she been more determined, she would've definitely attempted it, but after cooking and cleaning for a few hours, on top of plenty of jet lag, Annie just figured maybe some more pleading would do it.

"Aug, pretty please? I just want to see you get better…I know you're probably suffering, but please…please, just for me?" Annie was starting to grovel. Had it been for anyone else, she might not have sunk quite so low. But she was concerned for his well-being. If a cool bath was the way to get his fever down, then so be it.

A small sound escaped Auggie's mouth, and finally, he shook his head yes. It was a victory, unlike any other, against his tenacity. However small of a victory, it was something. And perhaps, when Auggie was in his right mind, she could gloat. After all her hard work, she deserved it.

* * *

><p>She settled him in bed - he looked much better than the ragged version she'd come to face only a few hours earlier. Annie was still exhausted, but she could only imagine that Auggie was more so. And he was what mattered now. The jet lag took its toll on her body, and it felt like a weight pulling her down.<p>

Nevertheless, she couldn't succumb to the exhaustion quite yet. She had scrubbed his body clean in the lukewarm water, and at one point, his ragged breathing had become quiet. He'd fallen asleep. Annie couldn't help the smile on her face. Despite the illness, he looked so peaceful like this, like nothing on the entire planet could bother him.

Annie had kept the door shut tightly and with a few essential oils here and there, the entire bathroom smelt of eucalyptus and lavender. There was a slight undertone of peppermint, just to hopefully clear out anything the eucalyptus couldn't.

For the first time in a long time, Annie got to examine her boyfriend's body fully. It wasn't necessarily a sexual experience, but rather, something much more intimate. Her nimble fingers had explored his skin, all the tiny birthmarks and freckles that one might consider blemishes; Annie did not think of them as such, but rather as something completely and uniquely Auggie.

She'd left soft kisses on the dark freckles that she could reach easily and without waking him up. Her favorite was one right on his shoulder. Perfectly round, it had clearly been there since birth - and, if she ever left his life, it would still be there for some other stranger to admire. She shook those thoughts off, and continued on her exploration.

Although he'd told her the full story behind him being Special Ops, Annie would take any chance to admire the tattoo gracing his back. The dark ink did not mar his skin like some tattoos did, but rather, told something about his character. He'd been so dedicated in his line of duty, that he'd gone so far as to put a permanent reminder unto himself. He'd carry it forever.

Finally, she explored the tiny scars that years had left behind. Tiny ones, almost invisible, here and there, possibly from a childhood of growing up with a large family made up of mostly boys. He'd told her the story behind the small, almost imperceptible scar on his arm. She chuckled, remembering his own words. _"That's the day I learned not to play with fire...the hard way, of course."_

The story had been quintessentially Auggie, the story of a boy who was too curious and too mischievous.

With a sigh, she let her fingers run over other scars. More permanent ones, where skin had become puckered and marred. But it was his story to tell, and the scars only supplemented. And Annie knew, that despite all these physical reminders, there were other scars - invisibly ones, tucked away into dark corners.

_Enough contemplating_, she reminded herself. If she didn't get him out before the water turned cold, she'd only get him sicker. She woke him up with soft butterfly kisses on his neck and shoulders, and helped him stand up. With much shivering, she'd bundled him up in clean clothes, and dried his hair as quickly as possible.

As soon as his body had hit the soft covers, he'd fallen asleep - clearly this illness had taken much more of a toll on him than he'd possibly been willing to admit. Stubborn, as always, but now, Annie knew his body amazingly well. She let the exhaustion finally spread, and hopefully, maybe, Auggie would be feeling better tomorrow. And he'd have an explanation as to why she was feeling so feverish.

Sleep won over, and finally, Annie got her much needed rest.

* * *

><p><em>Several days later…<em>

"Babe…I appreciate that you take care of me…" Auggie nuzzled into her neck. "But just like you forced me into a bath, I need to do that to you," he chuckled as he lifted Annie like a rag doll.

"No…I feel terrible," she groaned. Although it appeared she had the same symptoms as Auggie, she had yet to suffer the unbearable pain of a throbbing throat.

"I tried to tell you to take care of yourself," he mentioned as he helped her strip down.

"No you didn't," she glared at him. "You were too incoherent. All you did was mumble and grumble." She continued with a roll of her eyes, before delving into a coughing fit.

"Lucky for me, I had an amazing nurse to take care of me," he winked at Annie as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Shut up," she told him, but not before snuggling into his warmth before she was forced into an unpleasantly lukewarm shower to shake off any remnants of a fever before it got too severe.

"Love you," he answered, and although Annie, with anybody else, be too proud (and stubborn, according to Auggie), she whispered the sentiment back.

The future wasn't assured for either of them. Things could change in a week, six months…years. But for now, the present would suffice for the two of them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yay! A timely update! This chapter was surprisingly easy to write, despite the undertones of something much more serious.**

**Nevertheless, next chapter is a little more risque...no worries, however, it won't make the full jump to an 'M' rating, nor do I think this story ever will. Anyways, if anyone here is willing to read a small passage of next chapter and let me know if it would indeed justify an 'M' rating, leave a review or send me a quick PM. I wouldn't want to risk this story just because of a few passages...**

**As always, reviews are love and much appreciated! I promise I don't bite...often...hehe ;)**

**-Audrey**


	17. Release

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Seventeen: Release**

When she awoke, Annie quickly realized three things: A: she was not in her own bed. And B: there was no one lying beside her. The third thing she noted was strange, but she figured that as soon as A and B were answered, C would come into focus.

It was her "temporary amnesia" as she called it – for whatever reason, mornings had never resonated well with Annie. She usually woke up grumpy, achy, and just needed a few minutes to recollect herself. And coffee…coffee (or tea, if she was up for the "extra" work) always seemed like a brilliant solution.

However, she wasn't in her own bed, which meant she obviously wasn't in her apartment. Stretching, she took a look around, trying to get everything to come back to her. But she knew she couldn't rush these things, otherwise it'd take even longer.

It hit her all at one. Where she was…why she was there…and (most importantly) the third thing she noted upon waking up dazed and confused.

Auggie.

A simple six-letter noun that would come to mean so much more than anyone could imagine. She was in Auggie's bed, in his room…and she was stark naked. The warm tingle of fulfillment only offers further evidence of what transcribed here, on this very bed, mere hours ago.

Memory begins to glitter on the tiles of Annie's consciousness, like the fragments of a shattered vase. The pieces slowly begin to reassemble.

Perhaps it's this temporary amnesia that allows her to live fully with her actions as a CIA agent. Despite the fact that she isn't pulling off anything risky, or helping overthrow governments, it still rests on her hands. Whatever the briefcases contain, sealed tightly and properly so as to be tamper-proof, Annie knows that she changes the world, at least a little bit, with every successful mission. How much, however, and in which direction, is still up for debate.

Her mind often opens wide the cracks of her subconscious and lets things slip in, never to crawl out. Maybe that's why she doesn't lose sleep over the strangers she's seen hurt before her. The deaths…well, those are never easy to shake. And in reality, Annie knows she won't ever be able to shake them. Perhaps banish them into the tiny crevices of her mind, where her morning forgetfulness lets it all go…maybe. But permanently? Never.

In the weeks after Ben leaving, she would often wake up, thinking that she had found someone wonderful to spend the rest of her life with. But then, as the rest of the memories caught up with her, she would realize that not only was her psyche wrong – it was _absolutely_ and irrevocably mistaken.

With time, however, she would wake up, and know that he was gone for good. There would be no aching in her heart, no longing tugging at the strings. She'd delicately put her heart together, alone, and now…the pieces were slowly, but surely being given to someone who could mean _everything_ to her.

Her heart, however…it wasn't quite yet his. But every day, as they became closer, and closer, discovering new things about each other, she could feel herself giving away little pieces of herself. It wouldn't be long before she could claim that her heart belonged to him. And in that process, Annie found out new things about him.

Memories, and trinkets from distant years. Like an old gold locket he'd kept from his mother. No pictures had ever been placed inside, and Auggie had said that his mother had always claimed that she loved everybody equally and therefore couldn't place precedence over any of her children. Popping it open, however, revealed Auggie's photo – a secret well-kept that Annie hadn't told him. Maybe eventually, if the conversation ever came at the right time and at the right place.

Or an old high school soccer jersey – a wonderful cerulean blue, Auggie's last name printed in faded dark blue letters. Anderson – jersey number 23. She could imagine him – practicing soccer, and with long legs and height to offer, she _knew_ he had been good at the game.

A quick and sudden image hits Annie, her mind on overdrive, still recollecting everything that's happened in the last 24 hours. His lips, pressing heatedly against hers. He surrounded her with his frame, practically encasing her, like he was afraid to let go.

She bites her lower lip and looks around the room for her clothes. Although she doesn't want to dash quite so fast, she wants to at least be wearing something. A certain part of her feels silly, but she knows that Auggie somehow finds out everything, and he'd know if she were walking briskly around in his apartment, completely nude.

Her lace panties were discarded on the ground – and Annie knows the _exact _moment when that happened. Heat flushes to her face as she remembers Auggie finding where she likes to be kissed the most – how he seemed to hover right there, near her ear, to pay extra attention there. His lips pressed against hers, his body pressing against hers… and Annie pressing right back, just as hungrily; breathless and encouraging… wanting. She remembers everything – yielding to him willingly and the look of dazed joy upon his face as she called out his name; she remembers the feeling of him moving slower or faster to suit _her_ needs…

He's always been the perfect gentleman. And although he demanded control (_this time_, she reminds herself quickly...perhaps next time, if there is one, it'll be her turn), his wonderful actions with lithe fingers and warm lips made her fall apart at the seams. A guttural moan, and this is where it all gets confusing, for Annie can't remember if it fell from her lips, or his, and the push of his hips and she is in a state of absolute bliss…

_Stop it_, she scolds herself, shutting her eyes tightly and biting her lips once more, this time, _hard_. She can almost (but not quite yet), feel the point where make herself bleed, with a little added pressure, of course. She reminds herself that there's no use in getting hot and bothered already, when she's barely woken up. Although if the feeling of complete fulfillment is any indication, clearly Auggie is very talented in bed.

She tries to remember the exact orientation of Auggie's apartment, but she knows she's getting some of the rooms jumbled up. In all her time spent here, she'd never really ventured so far as to enter his bedroom.

Suddenly, she chuckles softly at that idea. She'd already known Auggie for a while – but she'd only seen this room in passing, when he'd been giving "the grand tour" of his apartment. Her first impression had been "it's just a bedroom", but now that she was having a chance to take a closer look (without snooping, of course), Annie knew that it personified Auggie to a tee.

The walls were a nice dark grey-blue that reminded her of stormy days. It fit Auggie's "mysterious" personality, and she was sure that the paint color had been chosen before his accident. Otherwise, the room could've been painted pumpkin orange and he would be none the wiser. There were no photos anywhere, but a few empty frames face down here and there. She figures that he'd taken down most of the photos, after everything.

There's a clock on one of the walls, the light 'tick tock' of it lulling her. She could see why he'd left that, even though it was practically useless to him. Despite its modernity, the clock still has the antiquated charm of the soft sound…

Everything else was pretty standard. A walk-in closet – probably categorized for Auggie by clothing, color, material, with tags, more than likely. She knew he had to use a system like this, because he'd gone into work with a tag hanging on one of his suit jackets. She'd quickly removed it, and stuck it inside one of his pockets, reminding him to take off the tags before walking off with the clothes.

He'd laughed, and thanked Annie – from then on, she'd always kept an eye out to make sure that he always removed his tags.

There's a dresser against one of the walls, the bed, and two nightstands surrounding her. She wasn't sure if he'd bought the two nightstands in conjunction – so as to keep it a set, or if he'd ever shared this home with someone.

Annie wasn't the jealous type. She knew Auggie had a history, and a pretty long rap sheet of women he'd bedded at the CIA offices. And although he'd confided in her that at least half of them were liars, it still left a sufficient bunch that could've possibly been more than short-term flings…nevertheless, she knew she wasn't quite ready to get the extensive history; Auggie probably wasn't too ready to share it either, so she could wait and ask him eventually.

She clicked her tongue against her teeth as she realized her bra was nowhere to be found. And it was one of her favorites too. Hopefully it would be somewhere else in the apartment. Once more, her face got hot – she knew that they'd spent quite a while on the couch, exploring each other's bodies underneath clothes. But she couldn't place when she'd lost the bra…hopefully it wouldn't always be like this, she decided, as she grabbed a shirt from the floor.

Auggie's, of course. She knew he was ordinarily very neat so as to know where everything was, but this disorganization had to be, somewhat, her fault. She pulled it on, buttoning up a few of the buttons and sighed.

This would have to do…for now, she reminds herself, once more.

Annie turns the doorknob quietly, just in case Auggie is waiting for her, she'll at least have time to hear him before having to confront him about last night's events.

She knew it was their fifth date. And she always kept her five date rule. So some part of her was aware that this was more than likely going to happen. Plus, she'd even worn her best lace underwear, as if in preparation for this.

So why does she feel so…strange having to talk about this with Auggie. Maybe it's because they were friends for a while…before this, they could've broken up amicably, and remained friends. But now, Annie knows that there's something there, chemistry and passion. And if Auggie felt a fraction of what Annie felt – well, the feeling is at least partly mutual. She knows they can't exactly go back without at least a little tinge of awkwardness.

Annie's confronted with a whiff of breakfast. Her stomach growls loudly and it's then she notes how hungry she is. Before, she'd been content looking around, getting to "know" Auggie without him necessarily knowing…and reminiscing in wonderful memories encapsulated hours earlier. But now, with her stomach badgering her, and quite loudly to boot, Annie knows she has to go out there or starve inside his room to avoid him.

She feels a little self-conscious, wearing nothing but his shirt and her panties, but she figures he won't mind…hopefully. Following her nose, she walks into the kitchen to a shirtless and cooking Auggie.

"Morning," he says cheerfully, as he flips a pancake over. Annie swoons at the idea of Auggie cooking her breakfast. And she knows at least half is for him, considering the stack of five pancakes (hopefully not counting too many thereafter). "Coffee?" He offers, not waiting for her to respond.

There are two mugs sitting on his kitchen island. One has already been prepared, and the other has a plate over it – to keep it warm. She smiles, and finally decides to be social. "Good morning," she answers. Adding some sugar, she stirs and takes a sip – perfect. Strong, but not bitter.

"How'd you sleep?" He asks as he turns the stove off.

"Really well," she tries to be normal about this, knowing that he seems to be perfectly okay with everything. Possibly…_too okay_. However, she swallows her suspicions quickly, and lets everything go. Right now, she just wants to enjoy a nice breakfast.

"I hope you like the ricotta pancakes I made," he says. "Would you like syrup, or blueberries?" He asks.

"Blueberries should be fine," Annie responds and as he turns, she notices his back. She's known for a while about the tattoo settled between his shoulder blades, but what leaves her surprised are the red-tinged fingernail marks marring his flesh.

_Oh my_, she thinks, but has to resist voicing her surprise out loud. He sets down her plate, and then his, and hands her a fork. "Dig in now, we can talk later." A knowing smile falls on his lips as he takes a big bite of the two pancakes on his plate. She has two on her plate as well, and she isn't sure if she'll be able to finish it all until twenty minutes into their quiet breakfast, Annie realizes she's finished it all.

Clearly Auggie knew that the pancakes were delicious enough to scarf them all down. She clears their plates for them, and suddenly, he embraces her, wrapping both arms around her waist and pulling her with him into the living room.

He sits down on the couch, and Annie follows suit…an awkward silence falls between them, and she's sure that if she focuses her hearing, she might be able to listen to the 'tick tock' of the quiet clock….

"So…" she starts, and Auggie chuckles.

"Annie, you don't have to make this awkward," he responds. _He knows!_ She panics and tried to be witty in her response.

"Umm…uhh," she has nothing in her mind, everything wiped clean like a slate.

"If you want to end this, because it's too weird, then okay," he offers, and immediately, her response is forceful, but not rude.

"No." Ordinarily, she would've felt strange with such quick decision making in her personal life. "I'm sorry I'm being so weird about this. I just need time to adjust." She explains.

"Okay, take all the time you need Annie. I want you to be happy. With or without me in your romantic life."

"No," she says again. "I'm happy Aug, but like I said. Give me a few hours, and I'll be okay. I'm just…weird."

"Not weird. You're Annie. And I like you just the way you are."

Her heart picked up its pace at that, and she laughed. "Cheesy line, but my heart definitely appreciated the sentiment."

"I don't get to be cheesy? Damn. That's where ninety percent of my smoothness with the ladies comes from!" He jokes, and soon enough they're back into their regular banter.

It didn't take her a few hours like she'd claimed. No, she just needed a little bit of "best friend" Auggie to help adjoin all the pieces together. And deep down inside, she knows that if she ever feels awkward, with him, he would always find a way to make it better.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: All right, a day late, but at least I got it up, right? I've been feeling somewhat insecure about this chapter, and I've been rewriting, deleting, moving around pieces here, there, and everywhere. Perhaps some lovely reviews will make me feel better...*hint hint* ;)**

**Okay, after that shameless hint, go ahead and let me know what you all think - love it, hate it, "it was mediocre"...constructive criticism is good for improving writing! And if any of you feel that this goes beyond a 'T' rating, let me know...as aforementioned, I don't want to risk this entire story for a few "heated" paragraphs. **

**-Audrey**

**EDIT: This would've been up last Sunday/Monday, but unfortunately, the website "ate" it, in no uncertain terms. After quite the debacle with figuring out what went wrong, I'm finally "allowed" to post this. Despite all the difficulties, it's still worth it, so I hope you enjoyed!**


	18. Contemplate

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Eighteen: Contemplate**

"I can't believe you dragged me into this," Annie whispered to Auggie as they inadvertently listened to the ruckus going on in the other room.

"Me?" He retorted, his tone incredulous at her accusation. "You said, and I quote, dearest, 'it'll be fun, Aug, let's go!' Then I warned you about how this was, at least seventy-five percent likely to happen, but did you listen? Nope."

"Now now," Aaron, the peacekeeper in all of this, intervened. "Let's keep it civil…unlike Anthony and his loving wife."

Katie, who had taken a forkful of food, almost started choking at his statement. "Aaron," she scolded, after her episode had ended. "I know it's difficult for you to understand, but Anthony and Roe really _do_ love each other." She turned to look at Annie, specifically. "They just don't show it in the most conventional way."

"Hmm," Auggie said, taking a sip of the glass of wine that had been served to all of them. "Because screaming matches just scream 'love'," he said, quite sarcastically.

Biting her lip, Annie tried to imagine being in love, but the kind of love that tore through you, that would spur every single emotion to be intensified completely. It wasn't the most romantic idea, but there was clearly something working right for Roe and Anthony if they were _still_ married after seven years.

Seven years. She and Auggie were barely hitting their seventh _month_ mark, and already, she was getting used to the domesticated life. But _this_, this was something different. Annie winced as she heard someone throw something or hit the wall.

When she had first met Roe, she hadn't thought that the petite blonde woman would be capable of ripping through her own home. In truth, the couple left a path of destruction and surely, destroyed the room while they were fighting.

But how was it that they made their marriage work? It's not that Annie was doubting in her and Auggie's abilities to have a worthwhile marriage…no, not at all. She was simply curious, even if it did kill the cat.

"They'll end up working it out and coming back in here like nothing happened," Aaron had explained. "So it's best if you just continue on in the usual routine. If you want, I can bring out the hand puppets and Katie and I can be ourselves _and_ Roe and Anthony," he offered with a chuckle. Annie had laughed, but continued pondering while she tried to eat dinner with a sense of normalcy.

As she took small forkfuls of food, she thought over the facts that she'd learned from the couple.

* * *

><p><em>Earlier that evening…<em>

"You must be Annie!" The small golden-haired woman had immediately said upon opening the door to Auggie and her. She reached out her hand and shook Annie's quickly, but firm, almost like a businessman out to make a deal.

"That I am," she said with a smile. _And you are?_ She felt tempted to say, but kept her mouth shut. She _knew_ there was more to this woman than first impressions let on.

"I'm Roe," she said to her in particular while she hugged Auggie. "Wife of Anthony, been married seven years, almost eight, actually," she mused. "And I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your wedding," the look on her face quite sympathetic. "But work wouldn't let me go, even if it was just a day. They're a bunch of bloody slave drivers, expecting us to work without so much as a day off in-between months," she continued talking as she ushered them in and took their coats.

It was October in Raleigh, and though not quite cold, it still required coats for the evening, for when a chill set in.

"What a bunch of wankers, right?" Roe had laughed, and Annie had to laugh as well. Roe's language was peppered with expletives, and although she didn't look that old, it was almost inappropriate to talk to someone she'd just met that way.

Clearly, Aug had read into her discomfort, because when Roe had muttered something about her dinner and ran off, he leaned in and whispered, "Don't be put off by her. Sure, Roe is a little different, but she's good company."

"All right, I'll give her a chance, I suppose," Annie said.

"And besides, Aaron and Katie will be here to buffer everything out nice and smooth," he continued. "No awkwardness today, all right?"

She nodded. Planting a kiss on his cheek, she mumbled, "I'll go see if I can help in the kitchen."

"Okay. Don't be awkward!" He'd said as a quick goodbye. "And say hello to Katie for me."

Sure enough, when she walked into the kitchen, she was embraced in a tight hug by none other than Katie. "Annie! How've you been?"

She chuckled at her question. It'd become tradition for the two married couples to have a nice dinner at either house every single Saturday. Unless she was out on a mission, then the excuse would be museum travels, of course. Ever since Aaron and Katie had moved out to D.C., she'd found a friend in Katie. They were closer than ever, and with married life, Annie was glad she could confide in Katie. For the most part, of course.

"Since last Saturday? Very well. You?"

"Wonderful, of course. Roe introduced herself?" She question, trying to ease the bit of tension in the room.

"Yes. And it was quite the pleasure."

"Of course it was, this is me we're talking about," Roe laughed as she continued working around the kitchen. "Now please, sit," she offered a look at their kitchen bar, set against one of the walls, with tall spinning benches. The kitchen wasn't overly grand, but considering the neighborhood they lived in and the nice art that was peppered around the home, clearly the couple did well for themselves.

"Did you need some help around here?" She offered, but it looked like Roe was pretty much juggling everything by herself.

"Oh no, don't be like Katie and start meddling. I've got _everything_ taken care of. What you two can do, however, is be good conversation buddies. I'll start with the basics for Annie, if that's okay?"

Annie nodded and Katie said, "That's fine. It's always been an interesting story anyways."

"All right then. Where do I start?" She mused to herself. It was with the word 'start' that Annie noticed the slight lilt to her voice. Her lingo and slang had also given her away slightly – clearly Roe either wasn't originally from the U.S., or she'd been raised elsewhere.

"How about where you're from?" Katie offered, and Roe brightened, as if admitting it was a grand idea.

"Well, I was born in Switzerland, so I am a Swiss citizen, however, a few years after, my family relocated to Macedonia. We lived there a few years until my parents died," she paused, as if recalling some distant memory.

"I'm sorry," Annie offered.

"Don't be. It was a long time ago. And although it still hurts, after such a long time, one does become accustomed to it." She said, but clearly, she appreciated the sentiment. A few seconds later, she cleared her throat. "Anyways, where was I?" With a quick pause, she remembered and continued. "Right, so after Macedonia I was sent to live with my grandmother in the western part of Wales, and it was there that I fell in love with the weather. Mostly rainy days, which were perfect for a bookworm like me. I was home-schooled, mostly, but eventually I ended up attending the University of Essex. I earned my degree in business with a double minor in public relations and literature."

"That's an interesting combination…" Annie commented, already enthralled in Roe's story.

"I like doing what I do. But a degree in literature wasn't going to earn me anything but a professor's title. So I decided to major in something that wouldn't necessarily guarantee me a job, but it would definitely help."

"If you don't mind me asking, what do you do?"

"I'm actually a professor…don't laugh," she wiggled her finger at Annie and Katie. "I know I don't look much like the tedious and mind-numbing old men who tend to gravitate towards those titles of academia, but I've earned my right to teach. At least, that's what they tell me," she winked. "And before you ask, I teach at North Carolina State. Which is mostly the reason we live in Raleigh, but it's nice enough with all four seasons. Plus we've built a life here…why would I want to leave?"

"However," she continued. "I still do public relations from time to time. The power of the internet is quite superb in that aspect." In the middle of listening to Roe's story, Annie hadn't even realized that dinner was, for the most part, ready. "Let's go into the dining room, and we'll continue, all right?"

Annie took in Roe's appearance once more. She didn't want to judge a book by its cover, but the pixie-like Roe did not look at all like a professor, or a P.R. representative. Instead, if based only on looks, Annie would've guessed an artist, or a dancer. Something along the lines of creative endeavors. They weren't that different, having married Andersons, but still, the differences were quite the chasm. Annie had always prided herself on having long hair, while Roe clearly preferred to have it short, and considering the pixie cut she sported, well, enough was said.

Plus while her eyes were her muddy brown, Roe's were a brilliant shining hazel, mischief hiding in them. But by far, the biggest difference had to be their height. Annie didn't tower over most people, but she was easily a few inches taller than Roe. Which put Roe at 5'4, at her tallest…probably.

As the couples sat down for dinner, Roe continued the conversation. Clearly she was quite talkative. Then again, as public relations _and_ a professor, both had plenty of talking to do. It must've been a skill acquired over time.

"So Roe is quite an interesting name," Annie commented, trying to maybe, perhaps, steer the conversation in_ that_ direction.

"Ah yes," she laughed. "My full name is Lysander. Big fans of Shakespeare, or at least, my mum was."

"…and how do you get 'Roe' from Lysander?" Annie couldn't help but ask.

"You don't. It's one of those weird English anomalies like getting Dick from Richard." Suddenly, Katie started laughing.

"Annie, don't believe her. And Roe, tell the true story," she urged, amidst her laughter.

Roe sighed, but cleared her throat. "All right, all right. Like I said…my mum loved Shakespeare...almost a little too much. Therefore, I have the lovely name of Lysander Hero. Both had the equal opportunity for mockery, so I picked the lesser of the two evils, which is neither. Nothing good could come of Lysander except Lissy, and I hate that name. So I shortened Hero into Roe and that's what people call me. Or to my face anyway."

After a bit of chatter from the entire table (mostly compliments on Roe's delicious cooking), Annie gathered up the courage to ask how the couple had met. She personally hated the question (it was a _completely_ fabricated story to appease the masses), but perhaps Roe liked telling the 'how-I-met-my-husband' story.

"It's a peculiar story," Roe had started. "But I'll let Anthony take this one. I'm just giving you all full disclaimers and whatnot."

"Well, as my brothers know, I used to work in New York as an immigration lawyer…of course, I had to give all of that up to move here…but I digress." Annie wasn't sure if she heard right, but she could practically feel the tinge of bitterness being tossed into the room – then again, she could've been wrong, and this was only a part of his story.

"Roe worked in the same building as I did, working public relations, of course. One day, I had spent the entire night working on a case, so I had an energy drink in my hand. I'd already noticed Roe coming and going through the building, and she'd piqued my interest. However, that day, one of my colleagues hollered at me to hurry up, and as I whipped around to catch the elevator, I instead caught Roe, with my energy drink."

"It spilt all over my lovely blouse. It was one of my favorites," she sighed, as if reminiscing over her lost blouse.

"I remember thinking 'oh shit', and quickly grabbing some napkins from my hand. However, some part of me didn't register that my drink had fallen all over her chest, and as I started patting, Roe just says: 'what the bloody hell is wrong with you?!'"

"I think I actually said 'what the fuck is wrong with you?', but those details are a little blurry with retellings."

"The funniest thing, though, was that she immediately balled up her fist to _punch_ me. I remember thinking, 'this munchkin might not be tall, but she can probably pack a punch'. Luckily, I dodged at the last minute. That's when some of my colleagues _finally_ stepped in. She continued calling names at me, one of my favorites being 'you pompous pillock!'"

"Eventually, I'd pay for her dry cleaning, even though we weren't on the best of terms. I took her out to lunch as an extra apology, and even then, Roe wasn't happy with me. In fact, I'm pretty sure I could see her anger radiating off in waves for the first few weeks after our disastrous encounter."

"Nevertheless," Roe interjected. "Somewhere between all the insults and the arguments, we realized we had things in common. In due course, Anthony here wooed me enough and we went out for the first time, on a date. The rest, as they say, is history."

Clearly, the first meeting was, as Anthony had put it, disastrous. But, somewhere in there was the old cliché of there being a thin line between love and hate. And that, was how they got into the topic of how they met. The only person who knew the real story was Aaron – and that was only because where he worked allowed him access to files. It was there that he'd stumbled upon Annie's file, and clearly, they had some explaining to do.

"Well, I work in acquisitions, as I'm sure you all are aware," Annie started. Sometimes she wished Aaron didn't know – but only because he was terrible at keeping secrets. Not even Katie knew (yet), and as she started her story, her eyes fleeted over to him; he was chewing his dinner furiously, as if trying to avoid any questions that he'd mess up and give the pair away.

"It was my first day there, and I was completely lost. I had gotten directions from the main desk at the Smithsonian, and I remember thinking, 'well, that's simple enough'; truth was, it wasn't simple. Obviously it's one of the biggest museums in the world and somehow, I wandered off from the directions away from the administrative building I was _supposed_ to be in. The building I ended up walking into was one of the research centers where Auggie happened to be…doing…something…"

"I was fixing some glitch that the astrophysical building kept bumping into." Auggie interrupted, adding his own little details. "So imagine my surprise when I hear heels clicking and the smell of wonderful perfume hit my nose. Don't get me wrong here, but most astrophysicists don't tend to wear heels or smell as lovely as Annie here did."

"I tapped him on the shoulder," Annie continued, a smile falling on her face as she remembered how they _really_ met. "And I remember thinking how handsome Auggie was. He saved me that day – led me to where I was supposed to go, and he had the courage to invite me out for a few drinks that night. So," she concluded. "That's how we met."

Their cover story was fairly average, but Annie felt that the simpler they kept it, the better. No superfluous details to add or confusion to clear up from their audience. Katie and Aaron discussed how they met, and in the meantime, whatever tension Annie had had at meeting Roe dissipated. She was happy. But it was in that time that they got onto the subject of Aaron and Katie's children.

In turn, the entire discussion turned to when Auggie and Annie would have kids.

She'd prepared for many questions and different subjects, but not this. She hadn't been expecting the talk of 'are you going to have children?'

"So, do tell us Annie, when are the two of you planning for kids?" Roe had asked as she nonchalantly took a sip of her wine. It was almost as if she'd said, 'lovely weather out, right?' But this wasn't as easy as small talk. No, this was something that Auggie and Annie had barely discussed.

"Umm," she had started, quickly getting nervous that she'd step on someone's foot. Specifically Aug's. "Well, we haven't really discussed it." She admitted honestly. "But I think with work being pretty hectic, and we're just newlyweds…so I think we want a bit more time to ourselves, right Auggie?"

"Right," he'd answered with confidence, relieving her worries that she'd said something wrong. In fact, he'd placed a kiss on her cheek at her explanation, clearly denoting that they _weren't_ ready for kids.

"Hmm, well work will be work. Roe here is always working." Anthony suddenly said, and the tension that'd been relieved through relaxing conversation instantly appeared.

Even Annie, who didn't know Roe that well, could tell she was seething. "Of course I have to work a lot. Otherwise these past few years would be like a flat-line of monotony."

"Monotony? You pick enough fights over stupid little things that there's no way anything could be considered boring. Why do we need kids when we have you nagging all the time?"

"I can't have kids if I don't have a husband at home. You're the workaholic in this family. Maybe if you were home more often, I'd be willing to have children."

"Well, when I _am_ here, you're not. Or you're too tired. Or too busy."

"Do you really want to start this, _right now_?" Roe suddenly hissed from her clenched teeth. Her fists were balled up, as if resisting the temptation to punch Anthony.

"We've already started it." And with those words, the two of them were standing up and moving to another room.

* * *

><p>The entire table was finishing their dinner while they tried not to listen too much into the so-called "private" discussion (rather, it was a fight) Roe and Anthony were having.<p>

_"You don't respect my career choices!" _Roe could be heard yelling.

_"I moved to this damn town to suit your career, not mine! So who's not respecting who here?!"_

Annie winced one more as another loud thump vibrated one of the cabinets in the dining room.

"They won't actually hit each other. They just throw stuff and pretend to miss amidst their anger." Auggie suddenly explained.

Suddenly, silence. _Peculiar_, Annie thought.

"…And we're up to the making up stage!" Aaron announced.

"Ugh, gross, I don't want to think of Anthony doing _that_." Auggie scrunched his face up. Annie quickly deduced what was going on. After having a yelling match, the intensified emotions could only lead to one thing.

"They always do this…" Katie mused. "You'd think that you wouldn't have to announce it," she said, tugging on Aaron's ear a little bit.

"Ow, okay, okay…I'm sorry, Annie's a newcomer – I just wanted her to be properly prepared for when they come back in here pretending everything is okay and _nothing_ happened." He explained, his face contorted in a slight wince at Katie's light pull.

"Don't be a baby," she responded to his face, before kissing him on his cheek.

It still seemed amazing that Aaron and Katie seemed perfectly well-adjusted, whereas Roe and Anthony…well, they were adjusted. But clearly sometimes either their love was too much, or the passion overtook them and it lead to _this_.

Was it possible to have so much passion that people only loved or hated each other more? Annie knew that she and Auggie didn't have this much passion. But did they need to have it? She wasn't bored with her married life, which was a good sign. It meant that they were in love, and in that love, there had to be ardor.

Jane Austen herself had said it. _'Is not general incivility the very essence of love?"_

Annie didn't doubt her choices, or marrying Auggie. They would fight, and they would make up. Their passion was nowhere near Roe and Anthony, but that didn't mean that they loved each other any less.

Finally, Roe and Anthony came back into the living room, looking mussed and oddly satisfied after such a fight, Annie knew that even though there was a fine line between love and hate, they'd chosen love; and she made the decision that she'd always choose love too, even through the tough times.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter is a bit overdue, but uni is taking over! Finals weeks is quickly approaching and there's studying to be done, reviews to go over, and I feel like my head is spinning from all this ****_and_**** work. Hopefully as soon as summer starts, I'll have a bit more time to devote to writing and my social life!**

**Anyways, do let me know what you think! I loved writing Roe, for whatever reason, and it was nice to introduce original characters with my own spin into the mix. Plus I love feedback! So you all know what to do! ;)**

**-Audrey**


	19. Stumble

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Nineteen: Stumble**

Annie never expected to go into labor alone. Despite the fact that she'd thought up pretty much every horrible childbirth scenario in her head, her conscious had always tried to comfort her while putting Auggie with her in her thoughts. She'd always imagined waking up in the middle of the night, rolling over, and shaking him awake. She didn't expect the Braxton Hicks contractions that she'd been feeling off and on for a month to start strengthening and causing real discomfort while Auggie was still at the office, probably still busy amongst work to be done.

At least they weren't too bad yet. They were coming about every twenty minutes, and the pain wasn't even bad enough for her to stop what she was doing. But they were there enough for her to notice – she'd pretty much blocked the real Braxton Hicks ones out – and after the first few, Annie went into their living room and sat down on the comfy loveseat she'd convinced Auggie to keep when moving into their new home. Not that he didn't think it was comfortable, but he'd seemed reluctant, but a little persuasion went a long way.

She didn't call anyone. It would just worry Auggie, and she didn't need anyone yet. These contractions could very likely go away; she was ten days from her due date and while that wasn't terribly early it wasn't close enough to guarantee that this was it. She passed some of the time trying to decide if she wanted them to go away. She most certainly did not feel ready for this, but who actually did? What first time mother felt labor start and punched the air with a rousing "let's get this party _started!_"Sure, there was probably someone who had actually done that, but Annie had never been too unique, and most of the other women in this position were likely feeling just as not-ready as she felt now. But, she reasoned, she was likely to feel unprepared no matter when this happened, and it's not like she had a choice in the matter, anyway. And she w_as_ excited…Annie decided that she hoped that they'd keep it up. She didn't want to have to walk this line between excitement and panic more than once per child.

More than once _per child._ Damn, she was already thinking about more. She shook her head. _This is most definitely not the time for that._

She shifted her weight slightly. After this next step she'd be able to sleep better again, if not for long periods of time a deep sleep when she did doze off; she was never a big fan of sleeping on her stomach, or at least she hadn't been since adolescence had made doing so more uncomfortable than before, but since she hadn't been physically capable of doing so in several months, she was really wanting to.

The last month or so had her plagued with insomnia – although not quite terrible, it left her irritable and almost non-functioning. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how one looked at it), Joan had taken her off of field work several months ago. Perhaps that also contributed to her petulance – she'd been stuck doing office work, filling out forms and papers and reports, and she was quite sick of it.

Her doctor has already warned her that she wouldn't hesitate to put her on bed-rest if Annie kept pushing herself, so she'd complied. Better safe than sorry. Even if she was still irritable without sleep.

Annie wondered momentarily if she'd lose this interest in doing what she hardly ever did once it was possible that she could again; she _was_ contrary like that. She was fooling herself, anyway, she knew she wouldn't be sleeping through the night for a long time. She selfishly wondered if it wasn't too late to buy formula so Auggie could do it too. But as she thought it through, she realized that if Auggie wanted to, he could – their child was as much hers as it was his.

Her thoughts went to Auggie. It was half an hour past when he was usually home. And he was never late. She lifted her head and looked at the clock, feeling panic rising as the digital numbers all switched simultaneously to signal the beginning of a new hour. He was late. He was never late. Something must have happened.

Annie felt her breath coming shorter, and decided that this wasn't good. She just needed to calm herself down. She sat up and sucked in a long, deep breath, closing her eyes. This was Washington. The city had traffic. He could be stuck filling out some reports, or something. Joan could be having a meeting that ran late. The possibilities were endless and it was only a half hour.

She took in another breath, closing her eyes and letting out slowly. She could no longer feel her heart pounding and felt proud at her success in calming down. She could feel herself start to relax and put a hand on her stomach as if to relieve any tension the baby might have gotten from her. But the baby appeared relatively indifferent; she kicked her mother in the hand. "Little brat," she murmured fondly.

"Annie?"

Her head shot up at the sound of Auggie's voice. "In here!"

He entered the living room and smiled. "I got you something."

"Really?" She asked, wondering what in the world he could give her that she didn't already have. "What is it?"

"Close your eyes," he demanded of her. Of course, she'd always complied. But most often times when he asked her to close her eyes, the surprise was big. What in the world could he have gotten her? "And…open!" He said excitedly.

Sitting in front of her was an album. A photo album. "Oh," she gasped, reaching forward to snatch it up. The cover was a beautiful soft yellow, and the words were clearly handwritten. _Our First Glimpses_. She was in absolute wonder and shock. She _loved_ it already.

"Do you like it?" He asked, pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek as he sat down next to her. Without waiting for her answer, he leaned down and pressed another kiss to her stomach. "Hello, little one."

"This is wonderful, Aug. I love it, and I haven't even gotten past the cover." She said to him, as another small contraction hit. "Ooh," she made the mistake of gasping. Annie knew it'd been a mistake because the second it had happened, Auggie's eyebrows had scrunched together in worry.

"What's wrong? Is it time already? Do we need to go to the hospital? Let me call Katie…" he rambled on and on as he stood up, walking over to the phone.

"No, no, it's nothing Aug," she assured him. "Sit," she demanded. "These early contractions are nothing – if we go now, I'll just be stuck in a waiting room, having my contractions around a bunch of strangers. And _that_, is what I don't want. Besides, I've barely had the chance to look at this album. So just calm down. I'll let you know if anything else develops, okay?"

He still had the worried look on his face, but he nodded nevertheless. "I'll stay calm. Or try to, anyway. The second you get a contraction that's signifies it's time, you let me know. Katie and Anthony promised to help out…"

"Honey. I'm the one having this baby. So don't worry," she told him, peppering him with kisses on his face and neck. "Everything is going to be okay, all right?"

She was always reassuring him, so he nodded and acknowledged their scrapbook once more. "Take a look – hopefully you like it," he fidgeted with his hands. Annie placed one of her hands over his nervous ones, and settled them. Besides, she could turn a scrapbook with one hand.

From the first page, however, her eyes welled up with tears. A letter. From the one person that couldn't matter more in her life.

_Dear Annie,_

_I've fumbled over typing this letter many times. I've never been the poet, the minstrel, or anything quite near it, but I don't think there are even words to express how much I love you. And it is with this love that I promise to love our child._

_Our journey hasn't been the easiest one – and our story isn't the contrived ones of simple happily ever afters. It's about the journey as much as the outcome, and despite the fights we've had (and probably will have), I wouldn't have it any other way._

_And so, this scrapbook is for you – it commemorates the journey we've had since that test in the bathroom read positive. Rest assured that there's another scrapbook for the life we've created._

_Like I already said, I've never been eloquent the way I wish I could be. So instead, I'll leave you with words that I keep near my heart, only because they remind me of you. _

_There are all kinds of love in this world. But never the same love twice._

_Love, _

_Auggie_

Flipping the page, Annie delved into the memories.

* * *

><p><em>Five weeks…<em>

"How much longer?" He asked, thrumming his fingers on their kitchen countertop. It was only a few feet away from the guest bathroom where'd Annie chosen to take a pregnancy test.

"Only a few minutes." She mumbled, remembering the last time she'd taken one. It had been one of their worst fights, and Annie refused to think about it for too long.

"I'm…nervous. And scared," he told her, reaching for her hand. She gladly took it, and pulled him into an embrace.

"Don't be. And I know what you're going to say," she stopped him as he was opening his mouth. "'Remember last time, though?' And as your ever-loving wife, I'm going to say 'yes' and you're going to delve into the why…so shush and let's just enjoy this while we can."

Auggie's mouth was still slightly agape, but he shut it, and started laughing. "Sometimes I like to think that you know me better than I know myself."

"Well, that's my job….sort of," she responded, placing her hands right above his ribs. Had he married anyone else (but Auggie would never _really_ dream of it), he would've just shrugged and known that that little motion was nothing. But this was Annie. And that meant she was planning something. "Ambush!" She suddenly exclaimed, her fingertips gingerly prodding at his ribs.

He started chuckling uncontrollably, trying to make her stop, pawing at any little piece of Annie that he could get. Taking as deep of a breath as he could between laughs, he started saying, "Please…..Annie….."

"Please what?" She said amidst her own laughter. Auggie would never tell her to her face, but he enjoyed these sessions of a wilder, younger Annie. She was allowed to be a child once more, and he adored every second of it. Even if he abhorred tickling, he'd never protest it if it came from her.

Almost suddenly, however, she pulled back. "I think it's time!" She announced, pulling him up even though he was still desperately trying to catch his breath.

She yanked him into the bathroom, and after a few minutes of trying to figure out what the pregnancy test meant, she announced that they were going to become a family of three.

* * *

><p>Annie laughed as she read the caption underneath the photograph of the positive pregnancy test.<p>

'_Picture is better than trying to get a positive pregnancy test onto a flat piece of paper.'_

There was another picture – one taken a few weeks earlier, when they had "officially" started trying. They were sitting in the doctor's office, just to make sure that everything was okay for the couple. Annie had insisted on a picture, and after a little bit of begging, Auggie agreed.

She had convinced herself that once she had the chance, all those pictures and trinkets from her first pregnancy would go into an album.

But there was no need. Auggie knew her better than anyone else in the world, and he'd taken care of her.

* * *

><p><em>Twelve weeks…<em>

"Can we call them now?" Auggie asked as he sighed impatiently.

"Our baby is the size of a plum!" Annie exclaimed instead. They'd just gotten home from the obstetrician's office – and after an ultrasound, they'd gotten a few more photos to be proud of. Annie, however, was still amazed at the little fact that her doctor had told her.

"She also said that the morning sickness is going to go away…" he quipped, trying to get her attention.

"A little, tiny plum. Our baby!" Annie started tearing up. Auggie had somehow developed a sixth sense to his wife's tears, so he immediately embraced her.

"Yes, babe, our baby is plum-sized." He assured. He knew her hormones were all over the place – and she was going to get worse before she got better, but even though he could never truly _understand_ he was still going to be there for his wife.

Wife. Even after all they'd been through, the little things, like that simple term, could bring a large smile to his face. And now, with their baby, they'd have something they created _together_.

* * *

><p><em>Thirteen weeks...<em>

Dani and Michael were ecstatic about the news. Even with that first phone call, Annie had cried two times, once while telling her the news and the second when Dani herself started crying.

"I wish I could be over there," she had said.

"You can be. At least for the Big Event." Auggie had smiled at Annie's term for giving birth. She was clearly nervous, especially since it was their first child, but he could also feel the excitement rolling off of her in waves.

Aaron, Anthony, and Andrew had hooted and hollered about having a boy to bring up with sports, just as they'd been brought up. And if it were a girl, well, there'd be five men to take care of her just as well.

Katie had gone into 'mother' mode and said that if Annie needed anything, _anything at all_, even at 3am, to give her a call. They'd both laughed, and had insisted that that'd be an emergency, if anything, but they promised her nevertheless.

Alex, who looked up to Annie, had cooed over the news, telling her that she was excited to have a little niece or nephew to spoil with treats from London. And while Auggie hadn't been listening, Alex had quickly told Annie that she and her boyfriend were going to move into a place together.

"But, shh, don't tell Auggie, yet." She made Annie promise.

Attis had offered his congratulations on the bun in the oven. He also made Annie promise that he would get to be the kid's favorite uncle. Annie said she wasn't picking favorites – and since she was the pregnant one, he needed to shut up. They'd both laughed in camaraderie. And, Auggie, as always, had demanded that Attis 'stop trying to steal his wife'.

So the news was delivered, and soon, they'd be proud parents of their not-so-tiny plum.

* * *

><p>"Ugh," Annie winced as she flipped a page in her scrapbook. Another uncomfortable contraction hit.<p>

"Are you sure you don't want to head to the hospital yet?" Auggie asked as her hold on his hand tightened.

"Positive. I'll let you know," she said as she relinquished the tightness with which she'd held his hand with. "All I want to really do, right now, is finish looking at this beautiful work of art." She said as she ran her fingers over next page that was decorated marvelously. "But I do have a question for you…" she said tentatively, afraid to hurt Auggie's feelings.

"Hmm?" He acknowledged as he nuzzled his head into her neck.

"Who helped you put it together?"

Auggie nodded in understanding. "Everyone did, actually." Vague answers were not becoming of him. Especially since they'd already been married several years. "But if I had to pinpoint one person, it'd definitely be Alex…or Katie…and Roe. Although Attis and Andrew helped too. Never mind," he chuckled. "I can't just name one person without naming the rest."

She smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. But deep down, she knew – Aug was keeping something from her. Something _big_.

* * *

><p><em>Twenty weeks…<em>

Annie groaned as she sat down on their couch. For the past three weeks, her back had been aching incessantly.

She muttered something under her breath about this baby being the death of her, but in her mind, she quickly apologized to 'their little plumcot'. It was a gentle nickname that didn't fit the baby's size (not anymore, at least), but it was special to her. And even when their baby would be melon-sized, he or she would still be _their_ plumcot.

"Back still hurting?" Auggie asked from the kitchen.

"Yep," she answered, sighing as she rubbed her neck with her hand. He was being wonderful to her, taking leaps and bounds in making sure she was as comfortable as she could be, all things considered. "I'm tired and achy, and my feet hurt, and I'm hungry all the time."

"Could be worse," he said as he brought her a glass of water and a plate of cheese, grapes and crackers.

"I don't see how," she pouted.

"Well, for one thing, you could still be having morning sickness…which actually ran through the entire day. I'm sure you remember that, babe." He suggested as he stole a grape from her plate. She'd allow it, just this once.

"I guess," Annie grumbled, as she placed her hands over her stomach. She was filling in – and soon, she knew, she wouldn't fit in any of her clothes. She was already struggling and beginning to wear some of the smaller maternity clothes available to her.

"Plus, think of it this way," he suggested as he took a cube of cheese this time. "You're beautiful, you're pregnant, _we're_ going to have a baby." He motioned for her to turn around and she obliged him, relaxing into his soothing touch as he began to massage her tired back. "And most importantly of all, you're no longer having those strange cravings."

"Hey," she laughed. "Pickles and vanilla ice cream together were incredibly delicious. Just because you can't appreciate my amazing culinary vision doesn't mean you can mock me for it."

Auggie made a face, but said nothing as he placed his hand on her stomach. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss and murmured soft words to the little one that was half of him.

When he finished, he sat back up and pressed another kiss to her forehead. He was being incredibly affectionate these last few days. Annie would've normally narrowed her eyes and wondered what he was up to, but ever since she'd gotten pregnant, she knew there were no ulterior motives…most of the time.

"We can find out the gender, you know," she told him. "We'll know if our little plumcot is a boy or a girl." At that tidbit of information, Auggie frowned. "What is it?" She asked, almost positive she'd regret it.

"I want it to be a surprise," he shrugged as if it were nothing. But this was far from nothing. Despite her befuddled emotions, she knew Auggie better than anyone. And if this was important to him, well, it was important to her now too.

"A surprise?" She asked as if considering it. She'd already made her decision. She wanted – no, _needed_ – to know. "But why?"

"Just tradition, I guess. Our family always waited until the last minute to find out if I'd have another brother or sister. At least, from what Anthony tells me. I wouldn't know. I'm almost the youngest. Apparently Alex was the real surprise – their first girl." He explained quickly as he fidgeted with whatever his fingers could reach at the moment.

"Hmmm," she nodded as she ate some more. Her obstetrician had recommended small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals at set times. So far so good.

"Annie? Please?" He actually asked this time, his big brown eyes boring into her. Sometimes she wondered if he was _really_ blind, just because of his perceptions. He knew she couldn't resist him, not when he looked at her like _that_.

She sighed, and relented. "Fine, I'll compromise."

"Yes!" He celebrated preemptively. "Wait, what?"

"Honey, I want to paint the nursery – and I don't want it to be a gender neutral color. Gemma already called and was asking a billion and a half questions about my so-called vision for the room. And I can't have a good idea of it without knowing about our little plumcot."

He groaned and sunk his head into the space between her neck and her shoulder, planting kisses there as if to try and convince her to wait.

"Please?" He asked, in-between kisses. "Please, please, please?"

"Auggie," she wanted to push him away before he fully convinced her. Damn him for knowing her weaknesses. "Compromise, please?" She suggested once more.

With a deep sigh, it seemed as if he was giving up. "What kind of compromise?"

"Six months? We're already at twenty weeks. One more month and even then the anticipation is going to be the death of me."

"How about….eight and a half months?" He countered, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Too short notice, especially for Gemma." She explained. "Seven months. That's me, waiting for two months! I want to _know_."

"Eight months?" He tried once more, peppering more kisses to her neck and shoulder. "Please? Annie, think of the children!" He said, laughter on the edge of his tone.

"Urgh," she fretted. "Okay then. Eight months. I hope you're happy making your pregnant wife wait _that_ long."

"I am happy. With you," he retorted, a large goofy smile on his face.

Marriage was all about compromise. And even though she didn't want to wait, it made him happy, so she was happy too.

* * *

><p>"Are you happy about our soon-to-be baby –" Annie started before she was interrupted.<p>

"Shh! You'll jinx it. The doctors could be wrong, you know." He suggested.

"I don't know about that, Aug, but if you're happy in your delusions, fine. I won't stop you."

"…I knew there was a reason I married you."

With a roll of her eyes, Annie chuckled until another painful contraction hit. She grasped Auggie's arm tightly and waited for it to pass.

"Babe," he started. "You've been getting your contractions every seven minutes for the last hour. Don't you think–"

"It's time!" She gasped as the contraction finally ended. "They're more painful and they're coming at quicker intervals. I need to go to the hospital."

"We'll get there. Come on."

* * *

><p>The driver's hands tightened on the wheel as he tried not to eavesdrop. It wasn't eavesdropping, really, when the woman in the back of the car was having contractions that made her cry out loud.<p>

This traffic was surely going to clear up any second now, Auggie thought as he could feel the car rolling at a slow pace. Any minute.

"Auggie, I can't do this!" Annie cried as her contraction ended. "I'm not doing a natural birth. Not now, not ever."

"Fine by me." He chuckled as he tried to keep calm so as to not worry his wife. "I'm not the one having this baby."

"Damn right you're not. I need to get to the hospital. Now." She ordered as she tried breathing as calmly and slowly as possible despite the situation.

"And we'll get there. Dr. Truman knows and is already at the hospital. It's going to be okay."

Annie nodded and turned to look at her husband. She wished their baby would have his smile and his chocolate brown eyes. She hoped that their baby would learn to be a techno geek from him and how to be strong-willed like her. "Just talk to me."

"Our baby is going to be so amazing, Annie. You're going to be a great mother, I know it. Most importantly, we'll shower them with love. We'll make sure they always knew how much we adore them, and believe in them, and support them."

With Annie, Auggie had everything in this world that he needed.

And with their baby, he'd have the world, and then some.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello darlings! This chapter is so damn late, and I could make a laundry list as to the reasons why - however, to make a rather long and boring story short, I got the nastiest case of bronchitis (it's supposed to be summer! Why!?). It involved me staying in the hospital for several days and not writing and I'm still not feeling as good as I should, but I figured I'd update, just for all of you! ;) **

**So, considering the melodramatic story that is my life, review please! Feedback means ****_everything_**** to a writer. Make someone ecstatic today (and that someone should be me, all right? Hehe...)!**

**Oh, and personal anecdote time - not being pregnant myself, Boyfriend certainly had quite the scare due to the research I was doing. He even asked me if I was pregnant! I told him he was silly, and that the research was for very important matters - for the sake of fanfiction! I'm glad he understands my weirdness. :)**

**And to conclude this rather long (and here I was, trying to keep it short...hmmm...) author's note, if you catch any mistakes, I'm still on fuzzy antibiotic haze, so do let me know. I tried to catch everything, but I'm certainly not perfect. Wouldn't want Auggie to magically start seeing halfway through this thing! **

**Thanks so much for taking the time to review!**

**-Audrey**

**P.S. (Could this A/N get any longer? Apparently yes!) About the format - the past is under the italicized time frame of Annie's pregnancy. Anything that doesn't have that "time frame" is officially in the "present" when Annie is reminiscing and having pre-labor signs, et cetera, et cetera. That's it, I promise to shut up now. Don't forget to send some love!**


	20. Distance

**Making Memories Of Us**

**Chapter Twenty: Distance**

**_Moscow, Russia_**

_I should call Auggie and tell him the good news_.

Longing pangs out from Annie's heart and it's then that she remembers. She hates that they're fighting. And over something as trivial as…as _this_. She shakes her head, not wanting to remember the harsh words exchanged.

She can't call him to tell him that she'll be home soon because he won't pick up her calls. He's still angry at her over her decision. Sometimes she teases him about how emotional he can be when it comes to certain aspects of his life. _Her_, being one of them. Or at least, she used to be one of them. Now she doesn't even know where his feelings lie, or if the wedge of separation has become such a deep chasm that there's no fixing to do.

_Is it possible to save something that maybe, perhaps, doesn't want to be saved?_

Her brain and her heart seem intent on torture this last night spent away from _home_. Home is Auggie, however, so the moment she lands in D.C., it won't be the same. Not without him there to greet her. The city is nothing without the memories, and the memories are mostly him.

She sighs and sits up in bed. It's a small twin bed, definitely not enough room to accommodate two people (_well_, Annie thinks..._maybe if the circumstances are right_), and she feels her face flush at the implication of her own thoughts. She rubs her eyes and sighs again. Even though the bed is small and it shouldn't let her think about how Auggie would be lying next to her if there was a bigger bed, she misses him dearly.

Annie isn't just tired – she's exhausted. These last few weeks of work had taken a toll on her mentally and physically. If the safe house had an adequate mirror, she'd see the dark circles under her eyes and the slump in her shoulders that is a culmination of sleepless nights and a broken heart.

_I'm being melodramatic_, she assures herself…but her heart isn't convinced of her so-called fact. Her heart isn't entirely broken – but it teeters on the edge of it. Annie shuts her eyes tightly to prevent herself from thinking about how they fought, but it's no use.

Memory lane is a heartless bitch today.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Washington D.C.<em>**

The bed feels particularly empty tonight. It's not like it's any different from any of the other nights that her ever-comforting presence isn't there, but _this_ feels like an ultimatum.

The end of their relationship.

_No_. Annie hasn't admitted to that, and unless she does, he won't allow himself to think that way. After many lonely nights, he wonders if they can salvage what's left. She went – he wanted to protect her.

In the heat of the moment, he knows he was a bit irrational to ask her not to go. But he only wanted to safeguard the person he cares so much about. His best friend. His confidante. His girlfriend.

They are two distant hearts, both breaking simultaneously…and even though Auggie doesn't know how Annie feels with an ocean between them, he vaguely wonders if she even cares.

His subconscious tugs at his mind with two different ends. One saying that he'd be crazy to think that Annie doesn't care about what happened. That she's probably mourning the fact that she decided to go, and that she misses him dearly. The other prefers to think of her as cold-hearted and that she's probably met someone in Russia all this time she's been gone and when she comes back she won't care and…

He can only stand the negative side so long before he lies on his stomach and places a pillow above his head in a weak attempt to quiet his thoughts.

A part of him knows that _this_ is partially his fault too. Maybe if he hadn't uttered those terrible words to her, maybe if he hadn't been so _cruel_, she would have decided to stay against everybody's wishes. She could have stayed…for him.

Perhaps he likes torturing himself, or perhaps he's looking for a single moment where he could've prevented everything, but he's intent on replaying everything again, and perhaps once more – just to let his heart pang out in loneliness.

These sleepless nights haven't been kind to him, and he knows that people are concerned by the dark circles under his eyes. They're worried that as a handler, he could be getting careless. Maybe Joan will make him a paperwork lackey. Maybe then, he'll be so bored he'll doze off and get a few hours of sleep. Maybe he'll dream about all the ways this didn't happen. Maybe, just maybe, he'll be a whole lot less miserable, even if it's just for a little while. Maybe in these dreams…the person he loves dearly will love him back.

There are a lot of maybes in this world, but none guarantee anything.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Moscow, Russia<em>**

Annie is staring back at the empty room. Well, it was empty while she resided in it – nothing is permanent, after all, but now that she's leaving, it seems colder than before.

She wants to think that she instilled a little bit of warmth into her temporary residence, but she knows that spending most of her nights curled up in bed, mourning, haven't exactly been the kind of warmth she would want to leave behind.

_I just need a warm cup of tea and someone to snuggle with_.

Not just any someone will do, however, and she knows that before things get better, they're going to have to get a bit worse with confrontation.

It hurts to just think about another impending fight over her decisions and his words. However, if it'll fix things, Annie knows that she'd go through anything for him.

She mulls those words over as she stares at the night sky on the way to the airport. Her mind is unwilling to let go of these passing words.

_I'd do anything for him_.

Anything.

Realization, and heartbreak, and euphoria fall upon her all at once, and she recognizes that she _loves_ him. But the heartache and reality set in quickly, and she starts remembering the harsh words, and why she ran away through work.

She may have just ruined the best thing in her life before it even had a chance to get started.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Washington D.C.<em>**

_"Annie," he whispers to her in the middle of the night as she's snuggled into his bed, into his side. "What happened to leaving at eleven?"_

_It's midnight now, and she's half-asleep in his bed. "Are you kicking me out?" She mumbles into one of his ribs. Her breath is warm and she quickly presses a kiss where she's settled. _

_He doesn't know if he can take much more of this without ravishing her. "No," he chuckles. "I'd love for you to stay." _

_"Good," she laughs too and swings her arm around his waist. "Because that was the plan all along."_

Auggie wakes up with a start – it felt so real. Absolutely genuine. In fact, instinctually, he reaches for the other side of the bed even though he knows he'll find –

_Nothing_. He's disappointed nevertheless – he expected it, but it crushes his spirit. He misses Annie. He _loves_ her. And perhaps, worst of all, he's the one who said those harsh words. He caused all of this. Their rift.

He reaches over and grasps his phone, just to check what time it is. All he knows is that it's Saturday – but in-between many sleepless nights, his weekends have been filled with irregular naps and dozing off her and there.

_"The time is 3:57pm,_" the automated voice says. _"You have three voicemail messages."_

Weird. He isn't expecting anything to occur this weekend. But then again, just because he isn't expecting anything doesn't mean it's not going to happen.

He clicks on his phone to play and listens carefully.

_"Hey Auggie, it's me…Annie, umm…I'm…actually, I shouldn't even be calling. We're fighting. I'm sorry." _Click.

"Damn it, Annie," he says, running a hand through his already mussed hair. His heart is beating faster and gives a lurch as to how _much_ he misses her.

_"Auggie, it's me again. I should just be brave and tell you what's going on. I'm headed back to the states. My flight gets in at 5pm your time. Our time. Well, it's…it's not ours anymore, anyway. But, umm, I'm not asking you to pick me up or anything like that. I just figured you might want to know. Just so you're not surprised when I'm at my desk Monday morning. Maybe we can talk soon? So…yeah. Bye." _Click.

"You're coming home," he tries not to smile, but to no avail. He's ecstatic. But then he realizes that there's still one more voicemail to listen to. He's hoping it's not bad news. Not from her, at least.

_"I'm sorry I put the burden of picking me up and fixing things on you_," her voice states in a sad, quiet voice. "_I've been thinking about it, and you don't have to be here. If you're not, I understand. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even called in the first place."_ Click.

"Bullshit," he says to no one in particular. "She's not putting the burden on me. She's giving me a chance. Even after what happened. I still have a chance." He's talking to himself mostly, and he knows his choice is made.

He needs a ride to the airport. Now.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Somewhere above the continental United States…<em>**

Annie stirs mid-sleep. She's been trying to shake the fact that she called him three times. But the mistake (or perhaps not, the hopeful part of her tries to shine) has already been made. And now Auggie has a choice.

A choice that she'll be finding out in a few hours. Amidst the few hours of sleep she's been getting, she replays their fight again and again.

And his hurtful words. He was hurt. She knows he was. She knows he didn't mean it. But the damage was done.

_"What do you mean a month in Russia?" Auggie asked, his tone incredulous. He didn't like the idea of Annie being in danger. Well…more danger than usual._

_"Well, I'm gathering intelligence…and that's all I can really tell you…" She responded, trying to put it as tactful as possible._

_"Our security clearance is at the same level, Annie, so yes, you can tell me whatever it is you're trying to hide."_

_"That's the problem. They haven't told me anything else. I'll be briefed when I land."_

_"You do realize that they're having a revolution right? The government defending its actions against the people. There are riots and people are angry and things don't bode well…"_

_"I know that I'm going to be in more danger than usual, but it's nothing that I haven't handled before."_

_"That ended with you getting shot Annie! I almost lost you!"_

_"You won't lose me. Not this time. I'll be careful."_

_"It doesn't matter how many precautions you take, there's still a risk. I can't lose you. Annie…I love you. Don't you understand that?"_

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

_The words that had just slipped from Auggie's mouth were ones she feared. She didn't know how to reciprocate them. She didn't know what to say._

_"I…I…"_

_"What, Annie? Say it – tell me you don't love me. Go ahead!" Auggie was now digging deep, looking for words that would hurt. Anything to stop her from going, even if it meant devastating her emotionally._

_"It's not that!" She yelled back. "You can't throw this on me and blame me for something that I can't force. Do you want me to force my feelings for you? Do you want me to be unhappy with you?"_

_"Love begets love, Annie. You either love me…or you don't." He waited a few seconds for her answer. Instead he was met with silence – besides the sounds of Annie's tears, of course. "I guess that's your answer then. You don't love me. Get out." _

_Even as he said the words, regret mulled and raged inside him. He was kicking her out because she couldn't say 'I love you' back. He was being selfish and immature and maybe that's why he didn't deserve Annie's love._

_The slamming of a door as she walked out._

_She was walking out of his apartment, and perhaps out of his life, for good._

Annie shut her eyes quickly, in a weak attempt to somehow keep the pain from overtaking her. Throughout her mission it's been more than difficult to keep a level head. But now that she's done, all she wants to do is curl up in her bed with the only two men she needs in her life – Ben and Jerry, of course.

She keeps repeating this, knowing that ice cream and tears and lame romantic movies are all she needs, but she _knows_ it's not true. In reality, she needs Auggie – she needs to fix things.

She wants to tell him the words he waited for.

But now she doesn't even know if she'll get the chance to do so.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Dulles International Airport, Washington D.C.<em>**

Annie sighs as she goes through customs. Even though she may look bored and unenthusiastic to be home, her heart tells a different story. She can almost feel the adrenaline rushing through her blood, her heart thumping like a drum, a staccato beat.

She's nervous. She hasn't been this nervous in years. Her training had served her well – to react to any given situation with a clear mind and objective reasoning. But now, through the tiredness and the heartache, her mind is anything but clear.

Jumbled thoughts and disjointed reflections. The more she tries to level herself, prepare for the worst, the more she tortures herself with happy memories. If there's one thing she's apparently good at, it's making herself miserable.

With another heavy sigh, Annie walks to face her fate.

The hopeful part of her immediately descends unto chaos. Heartbreak and terrible feelings and all she wants to do is cry more than she already has.

However, she reminds herself that she cannot. She is stronger than this. A million times over, she is much more than her relationship with Auggie.

She repeats her mantra over and over, until she drowns the sounds of her heart breaking. Until she knows that she can leave the airport and somewhat convince herself she'll be okay.

He isn't here for her and he probably won't ever be again.

* * *

><p>It's a quarter to six and Auggie knows that he's absolutely late. There's no way that Annie is still there. And his taxi driver, despite doing everything he could, is still stuck in rush hour traffic.<p>

He's trying her phone again, but each time, it takes him to voice-mail.

_"Hey, it's Annie. I'm not available right now, but leave me a message and I'll get back to you."_

She either has it off still from her flight, or she's screening his calls. Both options are equally likely, but the more hopeful side of him wants to believe that it's the first option.

_"Hey, it's Annie. I'm not available right now, but leave me a message and I'll get back to you."_

He hangs up the phone again. He's already left her two rambling messages – mostly nonsense from the brain of someone who has been sleep-deprived for several days. He knows he's mentioned loving her at least a half-dozen times within those messages, hoping it'll make a difference to Annie.

But if she doesn't love him, will it really? Or is he just embarrassing himself? He ponders this for a quick second, but knows that even if he is making a fool of himself, it's in the pursuit of one of the most important things in his life. And Annie is so important to him, that no matter how foolish he would look, he'd do anything to get her back.

But how? He is absolutely unsure how to go about convincing her of his love, convincing her that even if she doesn't love him back, she is the best thing that's happened in his life in recent years.

He's failed her and now he doesn't know what to do.

Auggie Anderson, for the first time in a long time, is as lost as he could possibly be.

**_(To Be Continued)_**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello my lovelies! It has been quite a while (insert scolding from readers here...seriously, feel free to vent frustrations because I have been gone a long time!), but I hope you all do enjoy this chapter. It is a two-part chapter, and the next one will hopefully be out soon and not in six months...wish me the best of luck with that...haha.**

**Now, as for an explanation as to why I disappeared for such a long time, you can either read this next paragraph, or skip it so you're not bored by my ramblings. Anyways, first off...Boyfriend is no longer such...but in a good way! I'm engaged! It's already been a few months, but it's still awesome to say it! With that monumental step forward, we decided to move in together, which, if you've ever moved somewhere in your adult life, whether it be near or far, you know how much of a pain it is...blegh. I completed my senior thesis and graduated this recent autumn semester (hooray! No more school!) I quit my old job and settled into a nice 9-5...which I am _loving_. After so many years in retail, I can actually put what I've learned to good use! However, between a new job, settling into a new home and life with the Fiance, and wedding plans (!), it's been quite hectic, thus my long disappearance from writing.  
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**Rest assured however, that I am (sort of) back and I absolutely intend on finishing this story (even if it's the death of me...we'll hope not!) because I know I am always frustrated by authors just abandoning projects without so much as an explanation, so I do not plan on doing that to this story.  
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**As always, feel free to tell me what you thought (constructive criticisms are always appreciated!), yell at me for taking so long to update, say hello, anything really, you know what to do (you know...send me some love!)! ;)**

**-Audrey**


	21. Author's Note (Please Read)

Hello all! Sorry to say that this is not a new chapter, but rather a quick update on things going on.

First and foremost: **I am going on a temporary semi-hiatus.**

Yes, I realize I have been gone for a while, which in itself is a hiatus albeit an unannounced one. I do say temporary, however, because I am not planning to be gone for long, should everything work out. I will be getting married next month and hopefully after the honeymoon I will have more time to dedicate to writing both this and some new ideas I have, not necessarily pertaining to Covert Affairs.

Nevertheless, I have no intentions of completely abandoning _Making Memories of Us_. Right now is just a period of my life where a lot of changes are happening (e.g. getting married, moving in together, honeymooning, the "when are you having kids?" question everywhere, etc.), so I hope those of you who are left will be understanding as I get my life together as a "Mrs."

I promise that I will finish this story and that I will not abandon it. **I promise.**

Thanks to those of you who are left, and I will have a chapter ready as soon as possible!

-Audrey


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